THE 


A.  T?OEM, 

DESCRIPTIVE  OF  A 

PEDESTRIAN  JOURNEY 

TO  THE 


IN  THE  AUTUMN  OF  1804. 

BY 

Alexander  Wilson, 

ACfHOR   OF    AMERICAN   ORNITHOLOGY, 

WEST  CHESTER,  Pa. 

FAINTED   BY    JOSEPH  PAINTER. 

—1838 


THE 

FORESTER®, 


SONS  of  the  city !  ye  whom  crowds  and  noise 
Bereave  of  peace  and  Nature's  rural  joys, 
And  ye  who  love  through  woods  and  wilds  to  range, 
Who  see  new  charms  in  each  successive  change ; 
Come  roam  with  me  Columbia's  forests  through 
Where  scenes  sublime  shall  meet  your  wandering  view ; 
Deep  shades  magnificent,  immensely  spread  ; 
Lakes,  sky-encircled,  vast  as  ocean's  bed ; 
Lone  hermit  streams  that  wind  through  savage  woods ; 
Enormous  cataracts  swoln  with  thundering  floods; 
The  settler's  *(1)  farm  with  blazing  fires  o'erspread ; 
The  hunter's  cabin  and  the  Indian's  shed  ; 
The  log-built  hamlet,  deep  in  wilds  embrac'd ; 
The  awful  silence  of  th'  unpeopled  waste : 
These  are  the  scenes  the  Muse  shall  now  explore, 
Scenes  new  to  song  and  paths  untrod  before. 


*  For  notes  see  Appendix, 


TflS     F03E3TERS, 

To  Europe's  shores  renowned  in  deathless  eoi^. 
Must  all  the  honors  of  the  bard  belong  ? 
And  rural  Poetry's  enchanting  strain 
13e  only  heard  beyond  th*  Atlantic  main1? 
What  though  profuse  in  many  a  patriot's  praises 
We  boast  a  BARLOW'S  soul-exalting  lays; 
An  HUMPHREVS  blessed  with  Homer's  nervous  glow; 
And  Free.iom's  friend  and  champion  in  FRENEAU j 
Yet  NM-ur^tf  charms  that  bloom  so  lovely  here, 
Unhailed  arrive,  unheeded  disappear; 
While  bare  bleak  heathes  and  brooks  of  half  a  mile 
Can  rouse  the  thousand  bards  of  Britain's  Isle. 
There  scarce  a  stream  creeps  down  its  narrow  bed* 
There  scarce  a  hillock  lifts  its  little  head, 
Or  humble  hamlet  peeps  their  glades  among 
But  lives  and  murmers  in  immortal  song. 
Our  western  world,  with  all  its  matchless  floods, 
Our  vast  transparent  lakes  and  boundless  woods, 
Stamped  with  the  traits  cf  majesty  sublime, 
Unhonored  weep  the  silent  lapse  of  time, 
Spread  their  wild  grandeur  to  the  unconscious  sky. 
In  sweetest  seasons  pass  unheeded  by ; 
While  scarce  one  Muse  returns  the  songs  they  gave, 
Or  seeks  to  snatch  their  glories  from  the  grave. 

The  sultry  heats  of  summer's  sun  were  o'er, 
And  ruddy  orchards  poured  their  ripened  store ; 
Stripped  of  their  leaves  the  cherry  av'nues  stood, 
While  sage  October  tinged  the  yellow  wood, 
Bestrew'd  with  leaves  and  nuts  the  woodland  path. 
And  roused  the  Katydid  (2)  in  chattering  wrath } 


rsns  FORESTERS. 

The   corn  stood  toped,   there   pumpkins  strewd 

ground, 

And  driving  crowds  of  blackbirds  wheeled  around* 
Far  to  the  south  our  warblers  had  withdrawn ; 
Slow  sailed  the  thistle-down  along  the  lawn; 
High  on  the  hedge-rows,  pendent  over  head, 
Th'  embow'ring  vines  their  purple  clusters  spread, 
The  buckwheat,  flails  re-echoed  from  the  hill, 
The  creaking  cider  press  was  busier  still ; 
Red  through  the  smoky  air  the  wading  sun 
Sunk  into  fog  ere  half  the  day  was  done ; 
The  air  was  mild,  the  roads  embrown'd  and  dry, 
Soft,  meek-eyed  Indian  summer  (3)  ruled  the  sky. 

Such  was  the  season  when  equipt  we  stood 
On  the  green  banks  of  Schuyl kill's  winding  flood, 
Bound  on  a  tour  wide  northern  forests  through, 
And  bade  our  parting  friends  a  short  adieu ; 
Three  cheerful  partners,  Duncan  was  the  guide, 
Young,  gay,  and  active,  to  the  forest  tried, 
A  stick  and  knapsack  all  his  little  store, 
With  these,  whole  regions  Duncan  could  explore* 
Could  trace  the  path  to  other  eye*  unseen, 
Tell  where  the  panther,  deer,  or  bear  had  been, 
The  long  dull  day  through  swamp  and  forest  roami, 
Strike  up  his  fire  and  find  himself  at  home; 
Untio  his  wallet,  taste  his  frugal  store, 
And  under  sholbury  bark  profoundly  snore. 
And  soon  as  morning  cheered  the  forest  scene^ 
Resume  his  knapsack  and  his  path  again* 


3  THE    FORESTERS. 

Next  Leech  advanced,  with  youthful  sails  unfurled, 
Fresh  on  his  maiden  cruise  to  see  the  world ; 
Bed  o'er  his  cheek  the  glow  of  health  was  spread, 
An  oilskin  covering  glittered  round  his  head ; 
His  light  fuzil  across  his  shoulder  thrown, 
His  neat-slang  knapsack  full  and  glistening  shone; 
Though  unknown  regions  wide  before  him  lay, 
He  scorned  all  fear  while  Wilson  shared  the  way. 
He  next  appeared,  with  glittering  arms  supplied, 
A  double  gun,  a  deadly  dirk  beside, 
A  knapsack  crammed  by  Friendship's  generous  care, 
With  cakes  and  cordials,  drams,  and  dainty  fare ; 
Flasks  filled  with  powder,  leathern  belts  with  shot ; 
Clothes,  colors,  paper,  pencils — and  what  not. 
With  hope  elate  and  ardor  in  his  eye, 
He  viewed  the  varying  scenes  approaching  nigh, 
Prepared  and  watchful  (headless  of  repose) 
To  catch  the  living  manners  as  they  rose ; 
Th'  exploits,  fatigues,  and  wonders  to  rehearse, 
In  no  inglorious  or  enfeebled  verse ; 
Nor  scene  nor  character  to  bring  to  view 
Save  what  fair  Truth  from  living  Nature  drew. 

Thus  each  equipt  beneath  his  separate  load, 
We,  fellow  pilgrims,  gaily  took  the  road, 
A  road  immense;  yet  promised  joys  so  dear, 
That  toils  and  doubts,  and  dangers,  disappear. 
Behind  us  soon  the  lessening  city  flies, 
New  vallies  sink  and  other  hills  arise, 
Till  through  old  Germantown  we  lightly  trod, 
That  skirts  for  three  long  miles  the  narrow  road :          . 


THE     FORESTERS.  V 

And  rising  Chestnut-Hill  around  surveyed, 
Wide  woods  below  in  vast  extent  displayed. 
Studded  with  glitt'ring  farms;  the  distant  view 
Died  foto  mingling  clouds  and  mountains  blue  ; 
The  road  was  good,  the  passing  scenery  gay, 
Mile  after  mile  passed  unperceived  away, 
Till  in  the  west  the  day  began  to  close, 
And  Spring-house  tavern  furnished  us  repose. 
Here  two  long  rows  of  market  folks  were  seen, 
Ranged  front  to  front,  the  table  placed  between, 
Where  bags  of  meat  and  bones,  and  crusts  of  breadj 
And  hunks  of  bacon  all  around  were  spread ; 
One  pint  of  beer  from  lip  to  lip  went  round, 
And  scarce  a  crumb  the  hungry  house-dog  found  ; 
Torrents  of  Dutch  from  every  quarter  came, 
Pigs,  calves,  and  saur-craut  the  important  theme ; 
While  we,  on  future  plans  revolving  deep, 
Discharged  our  bill  and  strait  retired  to  sleep* 

The  morning  star  shone  early  on  our  bed, 
Again  our  march  the  vigorous  Duncan  led, 
The  vault  of  heaven  with  constellations  hung, 
Their  myriads  twinkling  as  he  cheerly  sung, 
Beguiling  the  lone  hours.    Thus  half  the  day, 
O'er  hill  and  dale  our  stretching  journey  lay, 
Through  fertile  Bucks,  (4)  where  lofty  barns  abound, 
For  wheat,  fair  Quakers,  eggs,  and  fruit  renowned  ; 
Full  fields,  snug  tenements,  and  fences  neat, 
Wide-spreading  walnuts  drooping  o'er  each  gate; 
The  spring-house  peeping  from  enclustering  trees, 
Gay  gardens  filled  with  herbs,  and  roots  and  bees, 


19  THE     FORESTERS, 


Where  quinces,  pears,  and  c^ust^ring  grapes  were 

With  pondrous  calabashes  hurg  between; 

While  orchards,  loaded,  bei:cir.g  o'er  the  grass, 

Invite  to  taste,  and  chrcr  r.s  r  s  we  prss. 

But  these  tco  scon  give  pic  re  to  ]  respects  drear, 

As  o'er  Northampton's  (5)  br-rrf  11  heights  \ve  steer; 

Bleak  land  of  stones,  deep  swp.rrps,  and  pigmy  weeds, 

Where  the  pcor  Swabinn  o'er  Lis  d.i;d£cry  breeds  j 

Toils  hard;  and  when  the  heats  of  harvest  buru 

Gleans  from  the  rocks  his  pittance  in  return. 

Yet  though  so  pocr  its  soil,  his  sheaves  so  few, 

All-conquering  industry  still  hears  hi  m  through; 

Averse  to  change,  pleased  patiently  to  plod 

The  same  dull  round  his  honest  father  trod. 

Behold  his  low  roof  hut  on  yonder  green  ! 

There  no  gay  front  cr  prcud  piazza  's  seen  ; 

Let  wealthy  fools  their  p  reck  us  hoards  disburse, 

No  whim  can  tempt  him  to  untie  his  purse. 

A  moss-grown  penthouse  shades  his  narrow  docr> 

One  window  joins  with  patches  covered  o'er; 

Around  the  garden  numerous  hives  are  ranged, 

And  pendent  grounds  to  fading  yellow  changed. 

Sheds,  smoke-house,  hcg-pens,  crowd  the  miry  yard, 

Where  endless  yells  from  growling  pigs  are  heard* 

Approach  this  humble  hut:  look  in,  nor  fear; 

Bay,  could  Ambition  find  one  comfort  hero] 

Yet  sweet  Content  e'en  here  is  sometimes  found, 

Turning  the  wheel,  or  slumbering  by  its  sound. 

No  mirrors  dazzle,  no  rich  bods  appear, 

Wide  wasting1  Fashion  never  entered  here. 

Those  plates  of  pewter,  ranged  along  the  frame* 


THE     FORESTFRS.  ** 

In  nncient  days  from  distant  Tjuchhnd  came* 

That  oaken  table,  so  unccuth  and  low, 

Stood  where  it  stands  some  sixty  years  ago. 

In  this  arm-chair  where  Hans  d(  lights  to  snore, 

His  great-grandfather  nodded  long  before. 

Thus  glows  his  greasy  stove  thrc  ughcutthe  year, 

The  torrid  zone  forever  rages  here. 

Here,  when  the  shades  of  weary  evening  fall, 

Sits  Hans,  the  lord  and  sovereign  cf  all  ; 

Das  Ncuc  Culkndtr  (6)  from  the  nail  unhooks, 

His  dark  brows  solemn,  and  morose  his  looks, 

Beside  his  lamp  ;  with  spectacles  on  nose, 

Tomorrow's  weather  seeks,  its  rains  or  snows, 

The  moon's  eventful  sigiis,  th'  auspicious  hour 

To  plant  the  downward  root  or  rising  flower; 

Of  witch-confounding  (lectors  tells  the  tale, 

Sips  his  metheglin,  or  his  cider  stale. 

All  other  joy :  for  which  he  ever  sighs 

His  dear-loved  saur-craut  cr  his  pipe  supplies* 

Abroad  at  toil  ere  yet  the  morning  breaks, 
Each  rugged  task  his  hardy/rait  partakes  ; 
With  brawny  arms  the  struggling  ploughshare  guides  $ 
"Whips  up  her  nags  and  o'er  the  furrow  strides; 
Awakes  the  echoes  with  her  clamorous  tongue, 
And  lends  e'en  Hans  a  blow  when  things  go  wrong, 
Sweeps  round  her  head  the  loud  resounding  flail, 
And  sweats  the  sturdiest  mower  in  the  vale. 

Light  beat  our  hearts  with  changing  prospects  gay, 
As  down  through  Durham  vale  we  bead  cur  way, 


12  THE     FORESTERS. 

And  pause,  its  furnace  curious  to  explore, 
Where  flames  and  bellows  lately  wont  to  roar, 
Now  waste  and  roofless  :  as  its  walls  we  pass 
The  massive  shells  lie  rusting- in  the  grass. 
There  let  them  rust,  fell  messengers  of  death ! 
Till  injured  liberty  be  roused  to  wrath, 
Jn  whose  right  hand  may  they,  though  hosts  oppose, 
Be  blasting  thunderbolts  to  all  her  foes. 

The  setting  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west, 
And  brightly  burnishing  the  mountain's  breast, 
When  from  afar,  as  down  the  steep  we  hie, 
The  glittering  roofs  of  Eastern  caught  the  eye : 
Low  in  the  shelter'd  vale,  while  rude  around 
Hills  piled  on  hills  the  dreary  prospect  bound. 
Around  the  mountain's  base,  in  winding  pride, 
The  rapid  Lehigh  rolls  his  amber  tide, 
To  meet  old  Delaware  who  moves  serene, 
While  Easton  rises  on  the  plains  between. 
Tired  with  the  day's  long  toil  we  gladly  greet 
The  snug  stone  buildings  and  the  pavement  neat ; 
The  busy  townsmen,  jabbering  Dutch  aloud, 
The  court-house,  ferry,  hanging  signs  and  crowd  ; 
At  length  one  waving  sign  enchained  our  view, 
'Twas  Pat's  split-crow,  a  filthy  raven  too. 
Thither  for  rest  and  shelter  we  repair, 
And  home's  kind  decencies,  that  ne'er  were  there. 
Here  might  the  Muse  with  justice  due  record 
The  wretched  fare  its  scurvy  walls  afford  ; 
The  black  wet  bread,  with  rancid  butter  spread, 
The  beastly  drunkards  who  beside  us  fed  ; 


THE    FORESTERS.  13 

The  beds  with  flees  and  bugs  profusely  stored, 
Where  every  seam  its  tens  of  thousands  poured, 
The  host's  grim  sulkiness,  his  eager  look, 
When  from  our  purse  his  glittering  god  we  took; 
But  nobler  themes  invite,  be  these  suppressed, 
The  eagle  prays  not  on  the  carrion's  breast. 

Long  ere  the  morn  had  showed  its  opening  sweets, 
We  clubbed  our  arms  and  passed  the  silent  streets,] 
Slow  o'er  the  pavement  limpingly  we  tread, 
But  soon  recovering,  every  ailment  fled. 
Forward  we  inarch,  o'er  mountains  rude  and  bare, 
No  decent  farm,  or  e'en  a  cabin  rare ; 
Thick  wastes  of  ground  oak  (7)  o'er  the  country  spread, 
While  haggard  pines  sigh  dismal  overhead. 
Lo !  the  Blue  Mountain  now  in  front  appears, 
And  high  o'er  all  its  lengthened  ridge  uprears; 
Th'  inspiring  sight  redoubled  vigor  lends, 
And  soon  its  steeps  each  traveller  ascends ; 
Panting  we  wind  aloft,  begloomed  in  shade, 
Mid  rocks  and  mouldering  logs  tumultuous  laid 
In  wild  confusion ;  till  the  startled  eye 
Through  the  cleft  mountain  meets  the  pale  blue  sky 
And  distant  forests ;  while  sublimely  wild, 
Tow'rs  each  tall  cliff  to  heaven's  own  portals  piled. 
Enormous  gap !  if  Indian  tales  be  true, 
Here  ancient  Delaware  once  thundered  through, 
And  rolled  for  ages ;  till  some  earthquake  dreadf 
Or  huge  convulsion  shook  him  from  his  bed.  (8) 

Here  under  rocks,  at  distance  from  the  road, 
A* 


14  TUB     FORESTERS. 

Onr  pondrous  knapsacks  cautiously  we  stowed* 

The  mountain's  top  determined  to  explore, 

And  view  the  tracks  already  travelled  o'er; 

As  nimble  tars  the  hanging  shrouds  ascend, 

While  hands  and  feet  their  joint  assistance  lend  j 

80  we,  from  rock  to  reck,  from  steep  to  steep, 

Scaled  the  rude  piles,  suspended  o'er  the  deep, 

Through  low  dwarf  undenvocd  with  chestnuts  crowned* 

Whose  crooked  limbs  with  trailing  mess  were  bound* 

Eager  we  brush  the  impending  bushes  through, 

Panting  for  breath  and  wet  with  dashing  dew; 

Cliff  after  cliff  triumphant  we  attain, 

And  high  at  last  its  loftiest  summit  gain ; 

But  such  a  prospect ! — such  a  glorious  showl 

The  world,  in  boundless  landscape,  lay  below  I 

Vast  colored  forests,  to  our  wandering  eyes, 

Seemed  softened  gardens  of  a  thousand  dyes. 

Long  lakes  appeared  ;  but  at  th'  increase  of  daj 

Assumed  new  forms,  and  rolled  in  mist  away.  (9) 

Scooped  from  the  woods  unnumbered  spots  were  eeoi 

Kmbrowned  with  culture,  or  with  pasture  green; 

Some  cottage  smoke  moved  slow,  and  dimly  white? 

But  every  hut  had  dwindled  from  the  sight 

IA  long  trailed  fogs,  that  all  its  windings  showed* 

For  many  a  league  the  distant  Delaware  flowed  j 

And  all  beyond  seemed  to  the  ravished  eye, 

One  waste  of  woods,  encircling  earth  and  sky  \ 

We  gazed  delighted — then,  with  short  delay, 

Descending  fixed  our  loads  and  marched  away. 

Frbra  this  rough  mountaia,  northward  as  we  ben4« 


THE     FORESTERS. 

Below  us, wide,  the  woody  wilds  extend; 

The  same  ground  oak  o'er  all  the  country  lies. 

The  same  burnt  pines  in  lonely  prospect  rise, 

Mute  and  untenanted ;  save  where  the  jay 

Set  up  his  shrill  alarm,  and  here  a'way, 

One  solitary  hawk  that  sailed  serene, 

Becure,  and  eyeing  the  expanded  scene, 

High  from  his  zenith,  'midst  the  bursting  roar, 

Dropt  at  our  feet,  and  fluttered  in  his  gore ; 

**Thus  falls,"  said  Duncan,  "'many  a  son  of 

a  While  buoyed  in  thought  o'er  all  the  world  besicW 

From  these  dull  woods  emerging  into  day, 
We  pass  where  farms  their  rpsning  fields  display^ 
Barns,  fences,  cottages,  and  lawns  appeared, 
Where  various  sounds  of  human  toil  were  heard  j 
There,  round  a  hut,  upon  a  sloping  green, 
Gay  laughing  bands  of  playful  boys  were  seen  ; 
Soon, BOOKS!  aloud, is  thunderM  from  the  door, 
And  balls  and  hoops  mus,t  charm  the  hours  no  moxog 
But  frequent  tears  the  blotted  leaves  assail, 
And  sighs  for  dear-loved  liberty  prevail. 
Thither,  by  long  yet  fond  remembrance  led, 
With  awe  we  enter  this  sequestered  shed ; 
All  eyes  are  turned  the  strangers  to  survey, 
One  tap  is  heard ! — and  all  the  hint  obey ; 
Then  grave  and  courteous,  rising  from  his  seat. 
The  decent  Master  bows  with  meekness  meet, 
Invites  to  sit — looks  round  with  watchful  eyes, 
And  bida,  by  signs,  alternate  classes  rise ; 
Hears,  reads,  instructs,  with  solemn  voice  and  alow, 


16  THE     FORESTERS. 

Deep,  busy  silence  muffling  all  below ; 
Slates,  pens,  and  copy-books  in  order  pass, 
And  peace  and  industry  pervade  each  class. 
Dear  to  the  Muse,  to  truth,  to  science  dear, 
Be  he  who  humbly  torts  and  teaches  here ! 
His  worth,  his  labors,  shall  not  sleep  forgot, 
And  thus  the  Muse  records  them  as  she  ought* 

Of  all  professions  that  this  world  has  known, 
From  clowns  and  cobblers,  upwards  to  the  throne  ; 
From  the  grave  architect  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
Down  to  the  framer  of  a  farthing  broom, 
The  worst  for  care  and  undeserved  abuse, 
The  first  in  real  dignity  and  use, 
(  If  skilled  to  teach,  and  diligent  to  rule) 
Is  the  learned  master  of  a  little  school. 
Not  he  who  guides  the  legs,  or  skills  the  clown' 
To  square  his  fist,  and  knock  his  fellow  down; 
Not  he  who  shows  the  still  more  barbarous  art 
To  parry  thrusts  and  pierce  the  unguarded  heart ; 
But  that  good  man,  who,  faithful  to  his  charge, 
Still  toils  the  opening  reason  to  enlarge ;  * 
And  leads  the  growing  mind,  through  every  stage,, 
From  humble  A,  B,  C,  to  God's  own  page ; 
From  black,  rough  pothooks^  horrid  to  the  sight, 
To  fairest  lines  that  float  o'er  purest  white ; 
From  numeration,  through  an  opening  way, 
Till  dark  annuities  seem  clear  as  day ; 
Pours  o'er  the  mind  a  flood  of  mental  light, 
Expands  its  wings,  and  gives  it  powers  for 


THE     FORESTERS.  17 

Till  earth's  remotest  bound,  and  heaven's  bright  train 
He  trace,  weigh,  measure,  picture,  and  explain. 

If  such  his  toils,  sure  honor  and  regard 
And  wealth  and  fame  will  be  his  dear  reward ; 
Sure  every  tongue  will  utter  forth  his  praise, 
And  blessings  gild  the  evening  of  his  days? 
Yes ! — Blest  indeed,  by  cold  ungreatful  scorn, 
With  study  pale,  by  daily  crosses  worn, 
Despised  by  those  who  to  his  labors  owe 
All  that  they  read,  and  almost  all  they  know; 
Condemned,  each  tedious  day,  such  cares  to  bear 
As  well  might  drive  e'en  Patience  to  despair :  ' 
The  partial  parent's  taunt — the  idler  dull — 
The  blockhead's  dark,  impenetrable  scull— 
The  endless  round  of  Aj  B,  C's  whole  train, 
Repeated  o'er  ten  thousand  times  in  vain. 
Placed  on  a  point  the  object  of  each  sneer, 
His  faults  enlarge  his  merits  disappear ; 
If  mild — "  Our  lazy  master  loves  his  ease, 
44  The  boys  at  school  do  any  thing  they  please." 
If  rigid — "  He's  a  cross  hard-hearted  wretch, 
•*  He  drives  the  children  stupid  with  his  birch, 
**  My  child,  with  gentle  means,  will  mind  a  breath ;  v 
•'  But  frowns  and  floggings  frighten  him  to  death. n 
Do  as  he  will  his  conduct  is  arraigned, 
And  dear  the  little  that  he  gets  is  gained ; 
E'en  iJuit  is  given  him,  on  that  quarter  day, 
With  looks  that  call  it — money  thrown  away. 
Just  Heav'n!  who  knows  the  unremitting  caw 
And  deep  solicitude  that  teachers  share, 
B 


18  THE     FORESTERS, 

If  such  their  fate,  by  thy  divine  control, 
O  give  them  health  and  fortitude  of  soul ! 
Souls  that  disdain  the  murderous  tongue  of  Fame, 
And  strength,  to  make  the  sturdiest  of  them  tame ; 
Grant  this,  ye  powers !  to  Dominies  distrest, 
Their  sharp-tailed  hickories  will  do  the  rest. 

Again  the  shades  of  sober  eve  appeared, 
Up  the  dark  windings  of  a  creek  we  steered, 
Where,  glad  to  rest,  and  each  in  hungry  plight, 
In  Marewine's  humble  hut  we  spent  the  night. 
Our  social  host  piles  up  a  jovial  fire, 
Brings  his  best  cider,  still  as  we  desire, 
inspects  our  arms,  with  nice  inquiring  gaze, 
And  while  we  eat,  his  hunting  spoils  displays : 
The  skins  of  wolves  and  bears,  a  panther's  Jaws,  (10) 
His  horrid  tusks  and  life-destroying  claws; 
Recounts  the  toils  and  terrors  of  the  chase ; 
And  gave  us  fiddling  too,  by  way  of  grace ; 
All  which,  when  bed-time  warned  us  to  lie  down, 
We  fully  paid  him  for  with  half  a  crown. 
Refreshed  with  sleep,  before  the  peep  of  day, 
O'er  rising  Pocano  (11)  we  scour  away, 
Beyond  whose  top  the  Dismal  Swamp  extends 
Where  Tobihanna's  savage  stream  descends. 
Here  prostrate  woods,  in  one  direction  strewed, 
Point  out  the  path  the  loud  tornado  rode, 
When  from  the  black  north-east  it  gathered  strong, 
Creating  ruin  as  it  roared  along, 

Crashing  outrageous.  (12)   ,  Still  with  awe-struck  mien, 
The  pilgrim  stops,  and  gazes  on  tha  scene. 


THE     FORESTERS. 

Huge  pines  that  towered  for  centuries  on  high, 

Crushed  by  each  others  ruins  prostrate  lie, 

Black  with  devouring  flames,  of  branches  bare, 

Their  ragged  roots  high  tilted  frown  in  air; 

While  shivered  trunks,  like  monuments  of  wrath? 

Add  deeper  horror  to  the  wreck  beneath. 

Cut  through  this  chaos  rude,  the  narrow  road, 

Alone  by  solitary  traveller  trod, 

Winds  through  the  wilds  of  this  forlorn  domain 

Where  ruin  drear  and  desolation  reign. 

Here  as  we  loitered  on,  with  restless  gaze, 

Absorbed  in  silence,  musing  and  arnaze, 

The  rustling  bushes  and  the  snorting  sound 

Of  startled  bruin  fixed  us  to  the  ground  !  (13) 

With  levelled  guns  we  momentary  stood — 

He 's  gone  loud  crashing  through  the  distant  wood ; 

Sad  disappointment  throbs  in  every  breast, 

And  vengeance  dire  is  threatened  on  the  rest. 

And  now  each  passing  stump,  and  bush,  and  nook, 

Is  eyed  with  eager  and  suspicious  look ; 

But  one  deep  solitude  around  prevails, 

And  scarce  a  cricket,  eye  or  ear  assails. 

Thus  many  a  tedious  mile  we  travelled  o'er,, 
Each  passing  scene  more  rueful  than  before  ; 
Till  night's  dull  glooms  descending  o'er  our  path, 
W"e  took  up  lodgings  at  the  Shades  of  Death.  (14) 
The  blazing  fire,  where  logs  on  logs  were  laid, 
Through  the  red  hut  a  cheerful  radiance  spread  ; 
Large  horns  of  deer  the  owner's  sports  reveal ; 
The  active  housewife  turns  her  buzzing  wheel ; 


20  THK    FORESTERS. 

Prone  on  the  hearth,  and  basking  in  the  blaze, 

Three  plump  but  ragged  children  loitering  gaze ; 

And  all  our  landlord's  odd  inquiries  o'er, 

He  dealt  out  tales  and  anecdotes  in  store, 

Of  panthers  trapt  (15) — of  wounded  bears  enraged  ; 

The  wolves  and  wildcats  (16)  he  had  oft  engaged ; 

The  noble  bucks  his  rifle  had  brought  down — 

How  living  rattle-snakes  he  took  to  town. 

His  dog's  exploits — the  glory  of  his  kind  ! 

Now  gashed  by  bears,  and  lame,  and  almost  blind* 

Displayed  his  hat,  with  bullet-holes  o'errun, 

To  prove  the  many  matches  he  had  won. 

On  powder,  rifles,  locks  and  balls  enlarged, 

And  a  whole  broadside  on  his  art  discharged. 

The  mother  spuir,  the  children  snored  around, 

And  Sox,  the  landlord  still  fresh  stories  found ; 

Our  nodding  heads  the  power  ef  sleep  confest, 

And  the  kind  hunter  led  us  to  our  rest. 

Once  more  the  dawn  aroused  us  to  the  road, 
Our  fare  discharged,  we  left  this  lone  abode, 
And  down,  through  deepening  swamps  pursued  our  way 
Where  pines  and  hemlocks  quite  shut  out  the  day ; 
Majestic  solitudes ;  all  dead  and  deep  ! 
The  green  moss  matted  o'er  each  mouldering  heap ; 
On  every  side  with  watchful  looks  we  spy, 
E  ach  rustling  leaf  attracts  our  eager  eye ; 
Sudden  the  whirring  tribe  before  us  rise  ! 
The  woods  resound — the  fluttering  partridge  (17)  diet ; 
Light  floating  feathers  hover  on  the  gale, 
And  tke  blue  smoke  rolls  slowly  through  the  Tale. 


THE    FORESTERS.  21 

Again,  slow  stealing  o'er  the  shaded  road, 

Trailing  their  broad  barr'd  tails,two  pheasants(18)  strode, 

The  levelled  tube  its  fiery  thunders  poured, 

And  deep  around  the  hollow  forest  roared, 

Low  in  the  dust  the  mangled  victims  lie, 

And  concious  triumph  fills  each  traveller's  eye. 

Now  thickening  rains  begin  to  cloud  the  air, 
Our  guns  we  muffle  up — our  only  care ; 
Darker  and  heavier  now  the  tempest  lowered, 
And  on  the  rattling  leaves  incessant  poured ; 
The  groaning  trees  in  hollow  murmurs  waved ; 
And  wild  around  the  rising  tempest  raved. 
Below  dark,  dropping  pines  we  onward  tread, 
Where  Bear  Creek  grumbles  down  his  gloomy  bed, 
Through  darksome  gulfs,  where  bats  forever  skim, 
The  haunts  of  howling  wolves  and  panthers  grim. 
At  length  two  hovels  through  the  pines  appear, 
And  from  the  pelting  storm  we  shelter  here. 
Two  lank,  lean  dogs  pace  o'er  the  loosened  floor ; 
A  pouch  and  rifle  hung  behind  the  door ; 
Shrill  through  the  logs  the  whistling  tempest  beats, 
And  the  rough  woodsman  welcomes  us  to  seats. 
Before  the  blazing  pile  we  smoking  stand, 
Our  muskets  glittering  in  the  hunter's  hand  ; 
Now  poised,  now  levelled  to  his  curious  eye ; 
Then  in  the  chimney  corner  set  to  dry. 
Our  clear,  green  powder-flasks  were  next  admired  ; 
Our  powder  tasted,  handled,  rubbed,  and  fired  ; 
Touched  by  the  spark,  lo  !  sudden  blazes  soar, 
And  leave  the  paper  spotless  as  before. 


t%  THE    rORESTERS. 

From  foaming  Brandywine's  rough  shores  it  came, 
To  sportsmen  dear  its  merits  and  its  name ; 
Dupont's  (19)  best  Eagle,  matchless  for  its  power, 
Strong,  swift  and  fatal  as  the  bird  it  bore. 
Like  Jove's  dread  thunderbolts  it  with  us  went, 
To  pour  destruction  wheresoever  sent. 
These  as  they  glistened  careless  by  our  side, 
With  many  a  wishful  look  the  woodsman  eyed. 
Thus  bears  on  beech-nuts,  hungry  steeds  on  maize, 
Or  cats  on  mice,  or  hawks  on  squirrels  gaze. 
His  proffered  skins  of  all  the  forest  train, 
His  looks,  and  his  empty  hern,  implored  in  vain; 
Till  to  a  family's  wants  we  freely  gave 
What  cold  hard-hearted  Prudence  bade  us  save. 
And,  now,  this  treasure  on  our  host  bestowed 
His  sun  burnt  visage  at  the  present  glowed  ; 
New  moulded  bullets  quickly  he  prepared  ; 
Surveyed  the  glistening  grain  with  fixed  regard, 
Then  charged  his  rifle  with  the  precious  store, 
And  threw  the  horn  his  brawny  shoulders  o'er, 
Secured  his  spunk,  his  matches,  flint  and  steel, 
The  dogs  in  transport  barking  at  his  heal ; 
Then,  in  his  blanket,  bade  his  wife  good-by, 
For  three  long  nights  in  dreary  woods  to  lie. 
Our  morsel  ended,  through  the  pouring  rain, 
O'er  barren  mountains  we  proceed  again ;  ,  ,\^  : 

And  now  Wiomi  opened  on  our  view, 
And,  far  beyond,  the  Allegheny  blue, 
Immensely  stretched  ;  upon  the  plain  below 
The  painted  roofs  with  gaudy  colors  glow, 
And  Susquehanna's  glittering  stream  is  seeu 


THE    FORESTERS.  2-3 

Winding  its  stately  pomp  through  valleys  green. 

Hail,  charming  river  !  pure  transparent  flood  ! 
Unstained  by  noxious  swamps  or  choaking  mud ; 
Thundering  through  hroken  rocks  in  whirling  foam ; 
Or  pleased  o'er  beds  of  glittering  sand  to  roam; 
Green  be  thy  banks,  sweet  forest-wandering  stream ! 
Still  may  thy  waves  with  finny  treasures  teem ; 
The  silvery  shad  and  salmon  crowd  thy  shores, 
Thy  tall  woods  echoing  to  the  sounding  oars; 
On  thy  swoln  bosom  Healing  piles  appear, 
Filled  with  the  harvest  of  our  rich  frontier : 
Thy  pine-browned  cliffs,  thy  deep  romantic  vales, 
Where  wolves  now  wonder,  and  the  panther  wails, 
Whereat  long  intervals,  the  hut  forlorn 
Peeps  from  the  verdure  of  embowering  corn, 
In  future  times  (nor  distant  far  the  day) 
Shall  glow  with  crowded  towns  and  villas  gay; 
Unnumbered  keels  thy  deepened  course  divide  ; 
And  airy  arches  pompously  bestride ; 
The  domes  of  Science  and  Religion  rise, 
And  millions  swarm  where  now  a  forest  lies. 

Now  up  green  banks,  through  level  fields  of  grass, 
With  heavy  hearts  the  fatal  spot  we  pass 
Where  Indian  rage  prevailed,  by  murder  fired, 
And  warriors  brave  by  savage  hands  expired ; 
Where  bloody  Butler's  iron-hearted  crew 
Doomed  to  the  flames  the  weak  submitting  few ; 
While  screams  of  horror  pierced  the  midnight  wood, 
And  the  dire  axe  drank  deep  of  human  blood.  (20) 


24  THE     FORESTERS. 

Obscured  with  mud,  and  drenched  with  soaking  rain, 
Through  pools  of  splashing  mire  we  drove  amain ; 
Night  darkening  round  us ;  when  in  lucky  hour, 
Led  by  its  light  we  reached  a  cottage  door, 
There  welcomed  in  we  blest  our  happy  lot, 
And  all  the  drudgery  of  the  day  forgot. 
A  noble  fire  its  blazing  front  displayed 
Clean  shelves  of  pewter  dazzling  round  arrayed, 
Where  rows  of  ruddy  apples,  ranged  with  care, 
With  grateful  fragrance  filled  the  balmy  air ; 
Our  bard  (chief  orator  in  times  like  these,) 
Though  frank,  yet  diffident,  and  fond  to  please, 
In  broken  German  joked  with  all  around, 
Told  who  we  were,  from  whence,  and  whither  bound ; 
The  cottage  group  a  ready  opening  made, 
And  "  welcome,  friends,"  the  little  Dutchman  said. 
Well  pleased,  our  guns  and  knapsacks  we  resigned, 
Th'  adjoining  pump  or  running  stream  to  find, 
There  washed  our  boots,  and,  entering  took  our  seat, 
Stript  to  the  trowsers  in  the  glowing  heat. 
The  mindful  matron  spread  her  table  near, 
Smoking  with  meet,  and  filled  with  plenteous  cheer ; 
And,  supper  o'er,  brought  forth  and  handed  round 
A  massy  bowl  with  mellow  apples  crowned  ; 
For  all  our  wants  a  mother's  care  exprest, 
And  pressed  us  oft,  and  picked  us  out  the  best ; 
But  Duncan  smiled,  and  slyly  seemed  to  seek 
More  tempting  fruit  in  Susan's  glowing  cheek, 
Where  such  sweet  innocence  and  meekness  lay 
As  fairly  stole  our  pilot's  heart  away. 
He  tried  each  art  the  evening  to  prolong, 


THE     FORESTERS.  25 

And  cheered  the  passing  moments  with  a  song, 
So  sadly  tender,  with  such  feeling  raised, 
That  all  but  Susan  with  profusion  praised  ; 
She  from  his  glance  oft  turned  her  glistening  eye, 
And  paid  in  tears  and  many  a  stifled  sigh. 

Thus  passed  the  evening  charmingly  away, 
Each  pleased  and  pleasing,  innocent  and  gay, 
Till  early  bed-time  summoned  us  to  part, 
And  Susan's  glances  spoke  her  captive  heart. 

Swift  flew  the  night,  in  soundest  sleep  enjoyed, 
By  dawn  we  start  and  find  all  hands  employed, 
The  wheel,  the  cards,  by  fire-light  buzzing  go ; 
The  careful  mother  kneads  her  massive  dough ; 
Even  little  Mary  at  her  needle  sits, 
And  while  she  nurses  pussy,  nicely  knits, 
Our  generous  friends  their  courtesy  bestowed, 
Refused  all  price  and  pointed  out  the  road ; 
With  kindest  wishes  bade  us  all  farewell ; 
What  Susan  felt,  the  rising  tear  could  tell. 

Blest  Hospitality !  the  poor  man's  pride, 
The  stranger's  guardian,  comforter,  and  guide, 
WThose  cheering  voice  and  sympathetic  eye, 
Even  Angels  honor  as  they  hover  nigh; 
Confined  (in  mercy  to  our  wandering  race) 
To  no  one  country,  people,  age,  or  place  ; 
But  for  the  homeless  and  the  exiled  lives, 
And  smiles  the  sweeter  still  the  more  she  gives ; 
O  if  on  earth  one  spot  I  e'er  can  claim, 


M  THE     FORESTERS. 

One  humble  dwelling  e'en  without  a  name, 

Do  thou,  hlest  Spirit !  be  my  partner  there, 

With  sons  of  wo  our  little  all  to  share; 

Beside  our  fire  the  pilgrim's  look  to  see, 

That  swim  in  moisture  as  he  thinks  on  thee; 

To  hear  his  tales  of  wild  woods  wandering  through; 

His  ardent  blessings  as  he  bids  adieu  ; 

Then  let  the  selfish  hug  their  gold  divine, 

Tea  thousand  dearer  pleasures  shall  be  mine. 

The  morning  fogs  that  o'er  the  country  lay, 
Dispersing,  promised  a  delighful  day, 
Clear,  warm,  serene  ;  the  sun's  resplendent  beams, 
Plays  on  the  rocks,  and  from  the  river  gleams, 
The  cheerful  robins  (21)  chattering  round  us  fly, 
And  crested  wood-cocks  (23)  hammer  from  on  high. 
Poor  Duncan's  sober  looks,  and  glistening  eye, 
His  broken  sentences,  and  half-fetch'd  sigh, 
His  freeqnent  backward  gaze,  and  anxious  mien, 
While  Susan's  sheltered  cottage  could  be  seen, 
Betrayed  the  thoughts  that  hovered  through  his  breast, 
The  fruitful  source  of  many  a  rallying  jest; 
At  length  his  song  the  echoing  forest  hailed, 
And  laughing  Comus  over  Love  prevailed. 

By  Susquehanna's  shores  we  journey  on, 
Hemmed  in  by  mountains  over  mountains  thrown, 
Whose  vast  declivities  rich  scenes  display 
Of  green  pines  mixed  with  yellow  foliage  gay ; 
Each  gradual  winding  opening  to  the  sight 
Ntvr  towering  heaps  of  more  majestic  height, 


THE     FORESTERS.  27 

Grey  with  projecting  rocks ;  along  whose  steeps 
The  sailing  eagle  (23)  many  a  circle  sweeps. 
Few  huts  appeared  ;  the  wretched  few  we  spied 
Seemed  caves  where  Sloth  and  Poverty  reside ; 
The  ragged  owners  happier  far  to  hear 
Men,  boys,  and  dogs  arouse  the  bounding  deer; 
In  fluttering  rags,  with  scarce  a  hat  or  shoe, 
Down  the  rough  steep  the  roaring  chase  pursue, 
To  tree  the  bear;  the  midnight  wo]f  to  watch  ; 
Minx,  otters,  'possums,  or  racoons  to  catch ; 
The  bloody  panther  boldly  to  destroy, 
Their  highest  glory  and  their  greatest  joy. 
While  round  each  hut  the  richest  soil  is  seen, 
Bleak  squalid  wretchedness  is  found  within, 
Filth,  want,  and  ignorance  from  sire  to  son, 
The  sad  attendants  of  tjie  dog  and  gun ; 
As  sage  Experience  long  ago  has  said, 
A  good  amusement,  but  a  wretched  trade. 

*Twas  now  deep  noon,  the  winding  pathway  led, 
Beneath  tall  maples  near  the  river's  bed, 
Where  moss-grown  logs  in  mouldering  ruins  lay, 
And  spice  and  dogwood  fringed  the  narrow  way ; 
The  scarlet  berries  clustering  hung  around, 
And  mixed  with  yellow  leaves  Bestrewed  the  ground  ; 
There  glistening  lay,  extended  o'er  the  path, 
With  steadfast,  piercing  eye,  and  gathering  wrath, 
A  large  grim  rattlesnake,  of  monstrous  size  ; 
Three  times  three  feet  his  length,  encrmous  lies; 
His  pointed  scales  in  regular  rows  engraved ; 
His  yellow  sides  with  wreathes  of  dusky  waved ; 


28  THE     FORESTERS. 

Fixed  to  the  spot,  with  staring  eyes  we  stood ! 

He,  slowly  moving,  sought  the  adjoining  wood; 

Conscious  of  deadly  power,  he  seemed  to  say, 

"  Pass  on ;  in  peace  let  each  pursue  his  way." 

But  when  th'  uplifted  musket  met  his  view, 

Sudden  in  sounding  coils  his  form  he  threw  ! 

Fierce  from  the  centre  rose  his  flattened  head, 

With  quivering  tongue  and  eyes  of  fiery  red, 

And  jaws  extended  vast,  where  threatening  lay 

The  fangs  of  death  in  horrible  array: 

While  poised  above,  invisible  to  view, 

His  whizzing  tail  in  swift  vibration  flew. 

Back  sprung  our  bard  !  and,  aiming  to  let  fly, 

Glanced  o'er  the  deadly  tube  his  vengeful  eye ; 

And  now  destruction  seemed  at  once  decreed ; 

But  Duncan's  pleading  checked  the  barbarous  deed ; 

"  O  spare  the  brave !"  our  generous  pilot  cried, 

"  Let  mercy,  sir !  let  justice  now  decide ; 

"This  noble  foe,  so  terrible  to  sight, 

"  Though  armed  with  death,  yet  ne'er  provokes  the 

fight; 

"  Stern,  yet  magnanimous,  he  forms  his  den 
"  Far  from  the  noisy,  dangerous  haunts  of  men. 
"  Th'  unconcious  foot  that  presses  him  he  spares, 
"  And  what  was  harmless  meant  forgiving  bears ; 
4i  But  dare  his  life. — Behold,  he  rises  brave, 
"To  guard  that  being  bounteous  Nature  gave. 
"  We  are  th'  aggressors  here ;  the  hero  he ; 
u  Honor  the  brave  defence  of  ONE  to  THREE  ! " 
He  spoke.    Three  cheers  the  voice  of  Mercy  hailed  ; 
And  heav'ns  most  glorious-  attribute  prevailed. 


THE     FORESTERS,  29 

Here,  in  deep  glens,  we  groves  of  shelbarks  found, 
And  brought  their  thousands  rattling  to  the  ground. 
Here  clustering  grapes  on  bending  saplings  grew, 
And  down  the  loaded  vines  we  laboring  drew  > 
The  lucious  fruit  our  vigorous  toil  repaid, 
And  Bacchus'  honors  crowned  us  in  the  shade. 

Now  Keeler's  Ferry  heartily  we  hail, 
And  o'er  the  clear  expanse  serenely  sail ; 
High  up  th*  adjacent  banks  again  we  go, 
The  lessened  river  winding  deep  below  ; 
Here  rocky  masses  from  the  cliffs  we  tore, 
And  down  the  mountain  made  them  bounding  roar 
Through  tops  of  crashing  pines,  with  whistling  sound, 
Dashing  the  thundering  waves  in  foam  around. 
Now  night  drew  on,  dull  owls  began  to  scream, 
We  crossed  Tunkhannoc's  slow  and  silent  stream  ; 
Lodged  at  a  famished  inn  that  near  it  stood, 
Of  all  things  destitute  save  fire  and  wood ; 
Old  Squares,  the  owner,  indolent  and  poor, 
His  house  unshingled  and  without  a  door; 
No  meat,  or  drink,  or  bread,  or  liquor  there* 
As  Afric's  wilds,  of  every  comfort  bare ; 
But  Duncan's  load  across  his  cudgel  cast, 
Fruits,  birds,  and  beasts,  bespeak  a  rich  repast ; 
While  Leech's  knapsack  loaves  of  bread  supplied. 
And  mine  a  cordial  for  the  heart  beside : 
So,  sans  delay,  all  hands  at  once  begin, 
Some  pick  the  pheasants,  some  the  squirrels  skin, 
Soon  o'er  the  fire  our  crackling  nostrums  brawl, 
Aud  soon,  like  hungry  wolves,  to  work  we  falk 
B2 


SO  THE     FORESTERS. 

Hew  down  the  wheaten  loaf,  o'er  whose  thick  sid« 
The  ample  sheets  of  yellow  butter  glide, 
While  piles  of  bones  like  polished  ivory,  rise, 
And  the  starved  boors  look  on  with  wild  surprise. 
Such  jjlessed  comforts  health  and  hunger  bring, 
The  hunter  feasts  more  nobly  than  the  king, 
Whose  sated  appetite,  by  luxury  cloyed, 
Even  richest  sauces  satiate  uneirjoyed. 

The  table  cleared,  our  journal  we  survey, 
And  minute  down  the  wanderings  of  the  day  ; 
For  fresh  materials  at  our  host  inquire, 
Who  broiled  his  brawny  limbs  before  the  fire. 
44  What  township 's  this,   old  daddy  1 "     Why — hm — 

well; 

Township  ?  The  dickens,  sir,  if  I  can  tell ; 
Its  Pennsylvania,  though.     Right,  daddy  Squares. 
"  Who  are  your  nearest  neighbors  ?"  Why,  the  bears. 
"  No  mill  or  school-house  near  you  1"  Yes,  we  've  cma 
Beyond  the  church  a  piece  on  Panther's  Run. 
•*  Is  church  far  distant  daddy  *?"  Why — hm — no ; 
Down  Susquehanna,  twenty  miles  or  so. 
44  You  go  to  preaching  then  V  Besure  ;  that's  clear  ; 
We  go  to  mill  and  meeting  twice  a  year. 
**  No  curiosities  about  ?"   Why — yes, 
You've  brought  a  few  of  them  yourselves,  I  guess, 
•'  What,  dollars  ?"  Aye,  and  fi'-pennybits,  I  declare 
Are  downright  rarities  among  us  here. 
Thus  passed  the  evening  till  the  time  of  bed, 
When  to  a  kennel  we  at  last  were  led  ; 
There,  slumbering,  shivered  till  the  dawn  of  day, 
Then  quit  this  scurvy  cave,  and  marched  away. 


THE    FORESTERS.  91 

Before  us  now  in  huge  extension  rise 
Dark  wood-clad  mountains  of  enormous  size; 
Surrounding  fogs  their  towering1  summits  hide, 
And  sailing  clouds,  in  silent  grandeur,  glide 
Around  their  airy  cliffs.     These  we  survey 
As  dull  forbodings  of  a  cheerless  day. 
Up  steeps  immense  with  laboring  steps  we  bend^ 
Then  down  in  hollow  gulfs  for  miles  descend, 
Buried  in  depth  of  woods,  obscure  and  dark, 
Where  pheasants  drum,  and  angry  squirrels  bark; 
With  these  (though  rain  in  streaming  torrents  poured) 
Our  pilot's  pack  abundantly  we  stored ; 
And  when,  at  length,  the  driving  tempest  cleared, 
And  through  the  woods  a  distant  hut  appeared, 
There,  though  the  sour  inhospitable  clown 
Returned  our  smiles  with  many  a  surly  frown, 
Compelled  by  Hunger,  that  imperious  lord, 
We  cooked  our  game,  and  shared  cur  little  hoard  j 
And  left  the  savage  boor,  whose  looks  conveyed 
Dark  hate  and  murder  every  move  they  made. 

Still  through  rude  wilds  with  silent  steps  we  steer, 
Intent  on  game,  all  eager  eye  and  ear; 
Each  opening  turn,  each  dark  recess  survey, 
Each  mouldering  heap  that  round  tumultuous  lay, 
As  o'er  thos^Alpine  steeps  we  slowly  past; 
But  all  was  silentjliolitary,  vast! 
No  sound  of  distant  farm  assailed  the  ear; 
No  rising  smoke  ;  no  opening  fields  appear; 
But  each  high  summit  gained,  the  eye  was  shown 
Hills  piled  on  hills  in  dreary  prospect  thrown. 


32  THE     FORESTERS. 

So,  from  the  mast,  when  boisterous  tempests  roar, 
And  the  tost  vessel  labors  far  from  shore, 
The  toil-worn  sailor  all  around  him  spies 
One  sea  of  mountains  mingling  with  the  skies. 

At  length  with  vast  descent  we  winding  go, 

And  see  the  river  gliding  deep  below ; 

And  up  the  vale,  suspended  o'er  the  path, 

A  sign-board  waving  o'er  the  hut  beneath ; 

The  straggling  characters  with  soot  portrayed, 

Defied  a  while  all  efforts  that  we  made ; 

At  length  we  spelt  this  precious  piece  of  lore  : 

"  Pat  Dougherty's  Hotel  and  Drygood  store." 

Blest  tidings !  welcome  to  the  wandering  wight, 

As  sheltered  harbors  in  stormy  night ; 

And  thou,  sweet  Muse !  in  lofty  numbers  tell 

The  matchless  comforts  of  this  log  hotel. 

Here  streams  of  smoke  the  entering  stranger  greet ; 
Here  man  and  beast  with  equal  honors  meet ; 
The  cow  loud  bawiing  fills  the  spattered  door; 
The  sow  and  pigs  grunt  social  round  the  floor ; 
Dogs,  cats,  and  ducks,  in  mingling  groups  appe«r, 
And  all  that  filth  can  boast  of,  riots  here. 
Happy  the  hungry  souls  who  hither  speed  ! 
Here,  like  cameleons,  they  may  freely  feed ; 
Here  champ,  with  vigorous  jaws,  the  empty  air  ; 
"Without  a  bottom  find  one  broken  chair; 
O-Q  dirty  benches  snore  the  night  away, 
And  rise  like  thieves  upon  their  judgment  ctaf . 
Y«  threadbare  pilgrims  !  halt  as  ye  pass  by, 


THE    FORESTERS.  33 

This  gorgeous  store  will  all  your  wants  supply ; 

Three  long  tobacco-pipes  the  shelf  adorns  ; 

Two  rusty  penknives  fit  to  saw  your  corns ; 

One  rag  of  calico  in  musty  folds ; 

A  stick  of  liquorice-ball  for  coughs  and  colds ; 

And  one  half  keg  of  brandy,  glorious  cheer, 

Arrives  from  Philadelphia  once  a  year. 

What  boundless  wealth  !  what  can  they  wish  for  more 

Who  such  a  tavern  meet,  and  such  a  store  ? 

To  crown  the  whole — defiled  from  ear  to  ear, 

Behold  the  majesty  of  clouts  appear  ! 

The  ragged  lord  of  all  this  costly  scene, 

Whose  hands  and  face  old  ocean  scarce  could  clean ; 

Whose  sun-burnt  legs  and  arms  ai/d  shoulders  bore 

What  once  was  coat  and  trowsers — such  no  more ! 

But  shapeless  fragments,  gashed  with  holes  profound, 

And  rag-formed  fringes  dangling  all  around. 

Bent  o'er  a  tub  that  once  tobacco  knew, 

And  still  from  whence  the  dear  effluvia  flew, 

Put  grumbling  stood  ;  and  while  he  eager  viewed 

Each  nook  and  seam,  the  scanty  gleanings  chewed ; 

His  busy  mouth  such  savory  joys  exprest, 

That  scarce  our  stifled  laughter  we  supprest. 

On  this  foul  mass  of  misery  as  we  gazed, 

The  man  of  rags  his  brandy  loudly  praised ; 

Leech  sought  the  door,  disgusted  with  the  scene, 

And  Duncan  followed,  grasping  hard  his  cane  ; 

Our  bard,  alono,  with  pleasure  in  his  face, 

Silent  surveyed  the  wonders  of  the  place, 

hi  w'nosR  vile  groups  he  but  a  picture  saw, 

That  all  nti^ht  marvel  at,  but  few  cculd  dniw. 


34  THE     FORESTERS. 

Though  long  and  rough  the  road  before  us  rose, 
And  toil  and  evening  urged  us  to  repose, 
Yet  were  the  forest  glooms  at  once  preferred 
To  this  vile  Hottentot's  most  beastly  herd. 
•So  thence  up  towering  steeps  again  we  scale, 
And  trace  the  depths  of  many  a  darksome  vale  ; 
AYliile  eft  some  oak's  huge,  antiquated  form, 
That  through  long  ages  had  defied  the  storm  ; 
Whose  hollowr  trunks  had  lodged  the  skulking  bear, 
"While  owls  and  'possums  found  concealment  there, 
Kose  like  the  ruins  of  some  revered  pile, 
"While  moss  and  lichens  its  hoar  arms  defile  ; 
Great  in  distress  it  mouldering  drops  away, 
Time's  mournful  monitor  of  life's  decay. 
Night's  shades  at  last  descend — the  stars  appear — 
Dull  barking  dogs  proclaim  the  village  near  ; 
Scoii  Wyalusing  round  us  we  survey, 
And  finished  here  the  labors  of  the  day. 
The  inn  was  silent,  not  a  mortal  there, 
Before  the  fire  each  plants  his  crazy  chair, 
"When  slow  down  stairs  a  cautious  step  was  heard, 
And  Job,  the  landlord  soberly  appeared  ; 
Begged  our  excuse — bewailed  his  luckless  lot, 
Wife  in  the  straw,  and  every  thing  forgot ; 
So  finding  honest  Job  so  hard  bestead, 
We  skinned  our  squirrels,  supped,  and  went  to  bed. 

The  morning  dawned,  again  we  took  the  road, 
Each  musket  shouldered  o'er  the  lightened  load, 
Through  Wyalusing's  plains  we  gaily  pass, 
'Midst  matted  fields  of  rank  luxuriant  grass. 


THE    FORESTERS.  35 

Here  Nature  bounteous  to  excess  has  been, 

Yet  loitering  hunters  scarce  a  living  glean  ; 

Blest  with  a  soil,  that  e'en  in  winter  ga)-, 

Would  all  their  toils  a  hundred  fold  repay, 

Few  cultured  fields  of  yellow  grain  appear  ; 

Rich  fenceless  pastures,  rot  unheeded  here. 

Huge  from  the  vale  the  towering  walnuts  grow, 

And  wave  o'er  wretched  huts  that  lie  below. 

No  blossomed  orchards  scent  their  opening  May  ; 

No  bleating  flocks  upon  their  pastures  play ; 

The  wolves,  say  they,  would  soon  our  flocks  destroy ; 

And  planting  orchards  is  a  poor  employ. 

The  hungry  traveller,  dining  on  this  plain, 

May  ask  for  fowls,  and  wish  for  eggs  in  vain ; 

And  while  he  dines  upon  a  flitch  of  bear, 

To  wolves  and  foxes  leave  more  gentle  fare. 

Now  down  through  hoary  woods  we  scour  along, 
Rousing  the  echoes  with  our  jovial  song, 
Through  paths  where  late  the  skulking  Indian  trod, 
Smeared  with  the  infant's  and  the  mother's  blood, 
Their  haunts  no  more  ;  far  to  the  setting  day 
In  western  woods  their  prowling  parties  stray, 
Where  vast  Superior  laves  his  drifted  shores, 
Or  loud  Niagara's  thundering  torrent  roars ; 
Gaul's  exiled  royalists,  a  pensive  train, 
Here  raise  the  hut  and  clear  the  rough  domain ; 
The  way-worn  pilgrim  to  their  fires  receive, 
Supply  his  wants  ;  but  at  his  tidings  grieve ; 
Afflicting  news  !  forever  on  the  wing, 
A  ruined  country  and  a  murdered  king  ! 


36  THE     FORESTERS. 

Peace  to  their  lone  retreats  while  sheltered  here, 
May  these  deep  shades  to  them  be  doubly  dear  ; 
And  Power's  proud  worshippers,  wherever  placed, 
Who  saw  such  grandeur  ruined  and  defaced, 
By  deeds  of  virtue  to  themselves  secure 
Those  inborn  joys,  that,  spite  of  kings,  endure, 
Though  thrones  and  states  from  their  foundations  part; 
The  precious  balsam  of  a  blameless  heart. 

All  day  up  winding  solitudes  we  past, 
Steep  hung  o'er  steep,  as  if  at  random  cast ; 
Through  every  opening  towering  groups  were  seen 
Piled  to  the  clouds,  with  horrid  gulfs  between  ; 
Thus  (as  the  bard  of  old  creation  sings, 
'Mongst  other  marvellous  scenes  and  mighty  thing's,) 
"When  squabbling  angels  raisod  in  heaven  a  rout, 
And  hills,  uprooted,  flew  like  hail  about, 
Thus  looked,  in  those  tremendeons  doys  of  yoret 
Their  field  of  battle  when  the  fight  w?.s  o'er, 
Impending  cliffs,  with  ruined  woods  o'ergrown, 
And  mouiiicins  headlong  over  mountains  thrown. 
One  vast  pre-eminent  ascent  we  scaled; 
And  hi;_>'h  at  last  its  level  summit  hailed, 
There  as  we  trod  along,  fatigued  and  slow, 
Through  patting  woods  the  clcuds  appeared  below, 
And  lo  !  at  once  before  our  ravished  vif-w, 
A  >?'-.'or,e  appeared,  ftstortighing  and  new. 
(''lose  on  the  brink  of  an  abyss  wo  sioo.-l, 
Concealed  til!  now  by  the  impending  wood, 
?Mo\v,  at  drof'dfiil  depth,  the  river  l?y, 
Shrunk  to  a  brook  'ii'iidst  little  fields  of  hay  ; 


THE     FORESTERS,  37 

From  right  to  left,  where'er  the  prospect  led, 

The  reddening  forest  like  a  carpet  spread, 

Beyond,  immense,  to  the  horizon's  close, 

Huge  amphitheatres  of  mountains  rose. 

Charmed  with  this  spot,  our  knapsacks  we  resigned, 

And  here,  like  Gods,  in  airy  regions  dined  ; 

Like  gods  of  old  the  cordial  cup  we  quaffed, 

Sung  songs  to  liberty,  and  joked  and  laughed  ; 

Huzza'd  aloud — then  listened  from  on  high 

If  haply  slumbering  Echo  would  reply. 

A  long  dead  pause  ensued — at  once  the  sound 

In  tenfold  shouts  from  distant  hills  rebound ; 

Not  Polyphemus'  self  e'er  louder  roared, 

When  burning  goads  his  monstrous  visage  gored. 

Huzza !  huzza !  the  echoing  mountains  cry ; 

Huzza!  huzza!  more  distant  hills  reply, 

And  still  more  distant  till  the  faint  huzza, 

In  lessening  shouts,  successive,  died  away. 

Surprised,  astonished  !  heedless  of  our  meal 

We  seized  our  muskets  for  a  nobler  peal, 

Filled  their  dark  bowels  with  the  glistening  grain, 

And,  facing,  pointed  to  the  extended  scene, 

Then  at  the  word  their  fiery  thunders  poured, 

That  through  the  wide  expanse  impetuous  roared. 

Deep  silence  hung — The  loud  returning  roar 

From  bellowing  mountains  thunders  o'er  and  o'er; 

Peal  after  peal  successive  bursts  away, 

And  rolls  tremendous  o'er  the  face  of  day; 

From  hill  to  hill  the  loud  responses  fly, 

And  in  the  vast  horizon  lessening  die. (24) 

Thus  from  Olympus,  o'er  a  prostrate  world, 


38  THE     FORESTERS, 

The  fabled  Jove  his  bolts  imperious  hurled ; 
Earth  heard,  and  echoed  back  the  peals  profound,. 
And  heaven's  exalted  regions  shook  around 
With  deep  reluctance,  ne'er  to  be  forgot, 
And  many  a  lingering  look,  we  left  this  spot, 
Since  called  Olympus,  worthier  of  the  name 
Than  that  so  blazoned  by  the  trump  of  fame, 
Ye  souls  I  whom  nature's  glorious  works  delight, 
Who  chance  to  pass  o'er  this  stupendous  height, 
Here  turn  aside;  and,  if  serene  the  day, 
This  cliiT  sublime  will  all  your  toils  repay ; 
Here  regions  wide  your  ravished  eye  will  meet, 
Hills,  rivers,  forests,  lying  at  your  feet : 
Here  to  Columbia  make  your  muskets  roar, 
While  heaven's  artillery  thunders  back  encore. 

'Twas  now  dull  twilight,  trudging  on  we  keep, 
Where  giddy  Breakneck  nods  above  the  steep  ; 
And  down  the  darkening  forest  slowly  steer, 
Where  woods,  receding,  showed  a  dwelling  near, 
A  painted  frame,  tall  barracks  filled  with  hay, 
Clean  white-washed  railings  raised  along  the  way, 
Young  poplars,  mixed  with  weeping  willows  green, 
Rose  o'er  the  gate  and  fringed  the  walk  within; 
An  air  of  neatness,  gracing  all  arcund, 
Bespoke  that  courtesy  we  so  quickly  found  ; 
The  aged  Judge,  in  grave  apparel  dressed, 
To  cushion'd  chairs  invites  each  weary  guest; 
O'er  the  rich  carpet  bids  the  table  rise, 
With  all  the  sweets  that  India's  clime  supplies  ; 
And  supper  served  with  elegance,  the  glass 


THE     FORESTERS.  39 

In  sober  circuit  was  allowed  to  pass, 

The  reverend  sire  with  sons  and  grandsons  round, 

Ruddy  as  health,  by  summer  suns  embrowned, 

Inquires  our  road  and  news  with  modest  mein, 

Tells  of  the  countries  he  himself  had  seen ; 

His  Indian  battles,  midnight  ambuscades; 

Wounds  and  captivity  in  forest  glades, 

And  with  such  winning  interesting  store, 

Of  wild- wood  tales  and  literary  lore, 

Beguiled  the  evening  and  engaged  each  heart, 

That  though  sleep  summoned,  we  were  loath  to  part ; 

And  e'en  in  bed  reposed,  the  listening  ear 

Seemed  still  the  accents  of  the  sage  to  hear. 

The  morning  came;  ye  gods!  how  quickly  hies 
To  weary  folks  the  hour  when  they  must  rise ! 
Groping  around,  we  fix  our  various  load, 
And  full  equipt  forth  issued  to  the  road  ; 
Inured  to  toil,  the  woods  slide  swiftly  past; 
O'er  many  an  opening  farm  our  eyes  we  cast. 
Here  rich  flat  meadows  most  luxuriant  lie ; 
Some  glowing  orchards  gladly  we  espy ; 
Full  loaded  peach  trees  drooping  hung  around, 
Their  mellow  fruit  thick  scattered  o'er  the  ground  ; 
Six  cents  procured  us  a  sufficient  store, 
Our  napkins  crammed  and  pockets  running  o'er; 
Delicious  fare  !  Nor  did  we  prize  them  less 
Than  Jews  did  manna  in  the  wilderness. 
Still  journeying  on,  the  river's  brink  we  keep, 
And  pass  the  Narrows'  high  and  dangerous  steep, 
That  to  the  clouds  like  towering  Atlas  soars, 


40  THE     FORESTERS. 

While  deep  below  the  parted  river  roars. 
Beyond  its  eastern  stream,  on  level  lands, 
There  Athens  (once  Tioga)  straggling  stands ; 
Unlike  that  Athens  known  in  days  of  old, 
Where  learning  found  more  worshippers  than  gold, 
Here  waste,  unfinished,  their  sole  schoolhouse  lies, 
While  pompous  taverns  all  around  it  rise. 

Now  to  the  left  the  ranging  mountains  bend, 
And  level  plains  before  us  wide  extend, 
Where  rising  lone,  old  Spanish-Hill(25)  appears, 
The  post  of  war  in  ancient  unknown  years ; 
Its  steep  and  rounding  sides  with  woods  embrowned, 
Its  level  top  with  old  entrenchments  crowned  ; 
Five  hundred  paces  thrice  we  measure  o'er 
Ere  all  their  circling  boundaries  we  explore  ; 
Now  evergrown  with  woods  alone  it  stands, 
And  looks  abroad  o'er  open  fertile  lands. 
Here  on  the  works  we  ruminating  lay, 
Till  sudden  darkness  muffled  up  the  day ; 
The  threatening  storm  soon  drove  us  to  the  plain, 
And  on  we  wandered  through  the  woods  again. 
For  many  a  mile  through  forests  deep  we  passed, 
Till  girdled  trees  rose  to  the  view  at  last ; 
The  fence  and  field  successively  appear, 
And  jumbling  cow-bells  speak  some  cottage  near ; 
Anon  the  sounding  axe,  the  yelping  dogs, 
The  ploughman's  voice,  the  sight  of  snorting  hogs, 
And  sudden  opening  on  the  ravished  eye, 
Green  fields,  green  meadows,  gardens,  orchards,  lie 
In  rich  profusion  round  the  cottage  neat, 


THE     FORESTERS.  41 

Log-built ;  but  Peace  and  Industry's  retreat. 

Here  down  green  glades  the  glittering  streams  descend  ; 

Here  loaded  peach  trees  o'er  fences  bend  ; 

Deep  flowery  pastures  clothe  the  steeps  around, 

Where  herds  repose,  and  playful  courses  bound, 

The  groaning  cider-press  is  busy  heard, 

The  fowls  loud  cackling  swarm  about  the  yard, 

The  snowy  geese  harangue  their  numerous  brood, 

The  flapping  flail  re-echoes  through  the  wood, 

And  all  around  that  meets  the  eye  or  ear, 

Proclaims  the  power  that  spreads  its  influence  here. 

Hail,  Rural  Industry !  man's  sturdiest  friend, 

To  thee  each  virtue  must  with  reverence  bend, 

To  thee  what  heart  denies  spontaneous  praise, 

From  gloomy  woods  such  glorious  scenes  to  raise ! 

Great  giver  of  God's  gifts  to  man  below ! 

Through  whose  rough  hand  all  human  blessings  flow, 

Here  as  in  ancient  and  illustrious  Rome, 

May  chiefs  and  heroes  cheer  thy  humble  home  ; 

The  wise,  the  brave,  from  public  broils  retreat, 

To  walk  with  heaven  and  thee  through  arbors  sweet, 

To  share  thy  toils  ;  thy  little  plans  inspire, 

And  joke  at  night  around  thy  glowing  fire. 

Still,  near  thy  hut,  upon  thy  flowery  green, 

May  Temperance,  Hope,  and  Cheerfulness  be  seen, 

Health,  Plenty,  Innocence,  thy  temples  crown, 

And  Peace,  each  night  embosom  thee  in  down, 

And  still,  where'er  thy  humble  roofs  arise, 

In  northern  climes,  or  under  burning  skies, 

May  guardian  Liberty  thy  fields  enclose, 

Befriend  thy  friends  and  baffle  all  thy  foes. 


42  THE     FORESTERS. 

Cheered  with  the  rural  sweets  on  every  side, 
Slow  through  this  charming  vale  we  gaily  glide. 
Delightful  spot !  from  stormy  winds  secured, 
By  mountains  sheltered  and  in  wilds  immured  ; 
Still  as  we  pass  rich  level  fields  appear ; 
Chemung's  huge  barns  and  fertile  farms  draw  near. 
How  changed  those  scenes  from  what  so  late  th<  y  were 
Ere  Freedom's  banners  waved  triumphant  here; 
\Vhile  o'er  our  coast  a  powerful  foe  prevailed, 
Here  from  behind  the  savages  assailed  ; 
In  bloody  bands  ransacked  our  weak  frontier, 
Fire,  rapine,  murder,  marked  their  fell  career. 
Amid  his  corn  the  gasping  planter  fell, 
Deep  sunk  the  axe  and  direful  rose  the  yell ; 
The  midnight  cottage,  wrapt  in  sweet  repose, 
In  flaming  ruins  with  the  morning  rose; 
There  slaughtered  corses,  babes  and  lathers  lay, 
The  naked  mothers  driven  'mid  fiends  away. 
To  thee,  brave  Sullivan  !  who  scourged  this  crew, 
Thy  country's  gratitude  shall  still  be  due; 
And  future  ages  on  these  summits  rear 
Honors  to  him  who  planted  freedom  here. 

We  pause  to  mark  amid  this  valley  green 
How  changed  the  tenants,  how  improved  the  scene! 
Where  wretched  wigwams  late  like  kennels  stood, 
Where  bark  canoes  stole  skulking  o'er  the  flood, 
Where  mangled  prisoners  groaned,  and  hatchets  glared, 
And  blood-stained  savages  the  fire  prepared. 
There  glittering  towns  and  villages  extend, 
There  floating  granaries  in  fleets  descend, 


THE    FORESTERS.  43 

There  ploughmen  chant,  and  mowers  sweep  the  soil, 
And  taverns  shine  and  rosy  damsels  smile. 
Thanks  to  the  brave,  who  through  these  forests  bore 
Columbia's  vengeance  on  the  sons  of  gore  ; 
Who  drove  them  howling  through  th'  affrighted  waste, 
Till  British  regions  sheltered  them  at  last. 
Here,  on  the  heights,  where  suddenly  arrayed, 
These  hordes  their  last  despairing  effort  made, (26) 
Where  still  the  mouldering  breastwork  meets  the  view, 
From  whose  defence  as  suddenly  they  flew, 
Here  on  the  approach  of  night  we  lodgings  found, 
And  buried  all  our  toils  in  sleep  profound. 

The  lingering  night  still  living  in  drowsy  gloom, 
Mustering  our  loads  we  pace  the  darkened  room, 
With  tedious  groping  we  find  at  last  the  dcor, 
And  down  the  narrow  stair  cur  way  explore ; 
Dull  fogs  and  darkness  o'er  the  country  lay ; 
But  guiding  f  xces  pointed  out  the  way. 
In  cheerful  chat  wre  marched  along,  till  morn, 
On  dewy  wings  from  eastfr.i  regions  borne, 
'Rose  on  the  world,  and  o'er  the  landscape  gay, 
'Midst  songs  of  joyous  birds,  led  on  the  day. 
Two  whirring  pheasants  swept  across  our  path, 
And  swift  as  lightning  flew  the  fiery  death, 
A  cloud  of  quails  in  rising  tumult  soar; 
Destruction  follows  with  resounding  roar. 
From  bough  to  bough  the  scampering  squirrels  bound, 
But  soon,  in  smoky  thunders,  bite  the  ground  ; 
Life's  gushing  streams,  their  sable  furs  defile, 
And  Duncan's  stick  sustains  the  bloody  spoil. 


44  THE    FORESTERS. 

Thus  up  Tioga's  side  we  thundering  steered, 
Till  Newtown,  glittering1  on  its  banks  appeared ; 
Where  opening  hills,  retiring,  wide  display, 
On  level  plains  a  city  rising  gay  ; 
Ranged  on  the  northern  bank,  so  smooth  and  green, 
Rich  busy  stores  and  waving  signs  are  seen ; 
With  crowding  boats  that  here  for  freight  attend, 
And  deeply  loaded  to  the  sea  descend. 
Here,  when  soft  Spring  dissolves  the  wastes  of  snows, 
And  wide  and  deep  the  roaring  river  flows, 
Huge  loaded  arks  (27)  rush  down  the  boiling  tide, 
And  winding  through  wild  woods  triumphant  ride,, 
Hills,  towering  steeps  and  precipices  high, 
Rich  plains  and  hanging  rocks  behind  them  fly ; 
The  watchful  pilot  every  eddy  eyes, 
As  down  the  torrent's  foaming  course  he  flies; 
Views,  with  stern  look,  the  frightful  falls  disclose^. 
And  down  th'  outrageous  breakers  headlong  goes ; 
A  thousand  toils,  a  thousand  dangers  pas* 
Columbia's(28)  harbor  shelters  them  at  last. 

With  lingering  steps  the  busy  streets  we  trace, 
Pleased  with  the  pospect  of  this  growing  place  ; 
Though  now  so  gay,  scarce  fifteen  years  have  flown 
Since  two  log  huts  were  all  that  it  could  own; 
Since  waving  reeds  and  scrubby  ground-oak  grew 
Where  stores  and  taverns  now  arrest  the  view. 
Around  the  tree  where  panthers  lurked  for  prey, 
Now  evening  groups  of  laughing  children  play ; 
And  churches  neat,  their  pious  crowds  enclose 
Where  Indian  fires  and  midnight  yells  arose. 


THE     FORESTERS.  45 

So  wonder-working  is  the  hand  of  Toil, 

When  IJeav'n  has  blest  and  Freedom  guards  the  soil, 

And  streams  so  vast  their  powerful  aid  bestow 

To  float  down  plenty  whereso'er  they  flow. 

Now  to  the  north,  through  open  plains,  we  wind, 

And  leave  the  river's  bending  course  behind  ; 

And  now,  where  level  lengthening  meadows  spread, 

Through  hazel  thickets  rapidly  we  tread, 

Hero,  when  descending  rain  in  torrents  pour, 

And  the  broad  meadows  float  from  shore  to  shore, 

In  two  wide  routes  their  waters  seek  the  main  ; 

Part  through  St.  Lawrence  meets  the  sea  again, 

Part  to  the  south  pursues  its  wandering  way, 

And  rolls  to  Chesapeake' s  capacious  Bay. (29) 

Now  dark  before  us  gulfs  of  pines  are  seen, 
That  bear  the  name  still  of  their  Indian  Queen  ; 
Great  Catharine's  Swamps,  that  deepening  round  extend, 
Down  whose  dun  glooms  we  awfully  descend; 
Around  us  thick  the  crowding  pillars  soar, 
Surpassing  all  we  ever  viewed  before, 
So  straight.,  so  tall,  so  tow'ring  side  by  side, 
Each,  in  ilsolf,  appears  the  forest's  pride, 
A  thousand  'Heels,  with  twice  t3ii  thousand  more, 
M-.iy  here  find  m^sts  in  everlasting  store. 
Here  iru'Luiehcly  monks  might  moping  dwell, 
Nor  ny  of  sunshine  ever  reach  their  cell 
Through  the  dead  twilight  reigning  horrid  hore, 
i     !.  -'y  groans  th;. lr  relics  sad  revere. 
O  .-f  s  li: -ivy  shades!  so  still  and  deep, 
K vvis  pteiin    si^'/.s  in  hollow  rrr.irmrre  cr./    ! 


46  THE     FORESTERS. 

The  silence  deep,  the  solemn  gloom  profound, 

The  venerable  piles  that  rise  around, 

Such  awe  impress,  that  as  we  upward  gaze, 

In  whispers  low  we  murmer  cur  amaze ! 

Here  to  the  god  (30)  whose  keen  voracious  hrcod 

Pursue  the  pilgrim,  ravenous  fcrfocd, 

With  stump  ot  pine,  an  altar  we  uprear, 

And  round  its  mouldering  roots  rrrcnged  appear; 

There  bread,  cheese,  meat,  with  liberal  hand  we  laid, 

And,  like  true  priests,  devoured  the  offering  made ; 

The  power  appeased,  in  silence  soon  withdrew, 

And  left  us  braced  with  vigorous  life  anew. 

All  day  through  this  deep  swamp,  in  splattered  plight, 
Begulfed  in  mire  we  labored  on  till  night, 
When  lo,  emerging  from  the  opening  wood, 
'Midst  narrow  fields  a  little  cottage  stood  ! 
A  mill  hard  by  in  clattering  murmur  played  ; 
Before  the  door  a  rapid  rivulet  strayed ; 
Trees  round  the  garden  bent  with  apples  hung. 
And  cows  and  sheep  their  tinkling  music  rung. 
Sacred  to  peace  it  seemed,  and  calm  repose, 
And  here,  well  pleased,  our  night's  retreat  we  chose; 
Approached  the  door,  presenting  our  request, 
The  dame's  kind  looks  already  bade  us  rest ; 
And  soon  the  landlord,  entering  with  his  train, 
Confirmed  her  kindness  o'er  and  o'er  again  ; 
And  now  the  table  showed  its  welcome  head, 
With  cheering  fare,  and  rural  dainties  spread ; 
Green  sparkling  tea,  obscured  with  floating  cream  ; 
Delicious  salmon  from  the  neighboring  stream  ; 


THE     FORESTERS.  47 

Nice  cakes  of  wheaten  flour,  so  crisp  and  good, 
And  piles  of  honeycombs,  ambrosial  food  ! 
"While  in  the  cheerful  locks  of  all  around 
A  still  mere  pleasing,  grateful  treat  we  found. 
Our  host  intelligent,  and  fond  of  news, 
Long  tales  of  trade  and  politics  pursues; 
The  State's  enlarging  bounds,  so  mighty  grown, 
That  even  the  bare  extent  remains  unknown ; 
Of  Europe's  wars,  and  Bonaparte's  glories, 
Wolves,  rifles,  Louisiana,  whigs  and  tories; 
Of  bears  and  wildcats,  many  a  tale  relates, 
With  every  circumstance  of  place  and  dates  ; 
Till  leaden  sleep  cur  weary  eyes  assailed, 
And  spite  of  eloquence  at  length  prevailed. 

The  following  morning  found  us  on  the  way, 
Through  woods  of  walnut  trees  conversing  gay, 
Whose  limbs  enormous  spread  sublime  around, 
Their  huge  forefathers  mouldering  on  the  ground  ; 
The  soil  with  leaves  and  showers  of  nuts  was  spread, 
While  millions  more  hung  yellow  overhead. 
Here  maples  towered  with  little  troughs  below, 
From  whose  gashed  sides  nectareous  juices  flow; 
The  half-burnt  logs,  and  stakes  erected  near, 
Showed  that  the  sugar  camp  once  flourished  here. (31) 
Ye  generous  woodsmen  !  let  this  bounteous  tree, 
Forever  sacred  from  your  axes  be ; 
O  let  not  mangling  wounds  its  life  destroy  ! 
But  the  nice  auger  for  the  axe  employ  ; 
So  shall  these  trees  for  ages  lift  their  head, 
And  green  and  fresh  their  thickening  foliage  spread  ; 


48  THE     FORESTERS. 

And  each  returning  Spring  their  tribute  pour, 
More  rich,  and  more  abundant  than  before. 

Now  opening  woods,  in  circuit  wide,  display, 
A  level  vale  with  lawns  and  pastures  gay, 
Where  music  hailed  us  from  a  numerous  brood, 
The  lone  bells  jumbling  through  the  sounding  wood  ; 
Sheep,  oxen,  cows,  in  busy  parties  strayed, 
While  snorting  steeds  our  passing  steps  surveyed ; 
Surrounding  hills  this  peaceful  place  inclose, 
And  form  a  scene  of  sheltered  sweet  repose. (32) 
Ah  !  melancholy  scene,  (though  once  so  dear) 
To  the  poor  Indian  haply  wandering  here, 
Whose  eye  forlorn,  amid  the  gushing  flood, 
Beholds  the  spot  whore  once  his  wigwam  stood, 
Where  warrior's  huts  in  smoky  pride  were  seen, 
His  nation's  residence  !  his  native  green  ! 
Moth  inks,  e'n  now,  where  yon  rod  maples  play, 
The  black-haired  wanderer  slowly  bends  his  way, 
Aiul  pensive  stops,  and  heaves  the  stifled  sigh, 
A 3  well  known  objects  meet  his  rueful  eye; 
No  words  escape  him,  but  while  memory  grieves, 
These  gloomy  thoughts  his  burdened  heart  relieves. 

"  0  happy  days !  for  ever,  ev?r  gone  ! 
When  these  deep  v/oods  to  white  men  were  unknown; 
Then  the  Great  Spirit  gave  us  from  on  high, 
A  plain  broad  path,  and  unclouded  sky  ; 
Then  herds  of  deer  in  every  thicket  lay; 
Pt  ace  blervst  our  nights,  and  Plenty  crowned  cur  day  ; 
But  no'.v  dark  clouds  around  cur  nation  roar, 


THE    FORESTERS.  40 

The  path  is  lost !  we  see  the  sun  no  more ; 
A  poor  lone  wanderer  here  unhappy  raves, 
Returned  once  more  to  see  his  father's  graves  ; 
Where  all  he  sees  bereaves  his  heart  of  rest, 
And  sinks  like  poisoned  arrows  in  his  breast. 

"  Here  stood  the  tree,  beneath  whose  awful  shade* 
Our  aged  chiefs  the  nation's  welfare  weighed; 
In  these  sweet  woods  my  early  days  I  spent, 
There  through  the  hare,  the  quivering  arrow  sent; 
Or,  stealing  wary  by  that  creek  so  clear, 
Transfixed  the  struggling  salmon  with  my  spear. 
Here  rose  our  fires  in  many  a  towering  flame, 
When  the  young  hunters  found  abundant  game; 
The  feast,  the  dance,  whole  days  and  nights  employ, 
These  hills  resounding  with  our  screams  of  joy. 
There,  on  that  bank  our  painted  warriors  stood, 
Their  keen  knives  reddened  with  the  white  men's  blood  5 
Now  all  is  lost !  and  sacrilege  is  spread  ! 
And  ploughs  profane  the  mansions  of  the  dead  ! 
Our  warriors  wander  on  a  distant  shore, 
And  strangers  triumph  where  they  begged  before." 
indignant  sorrow  rushes  on  his  soul, 
And  in  wild  agony  his  eye-balls  roll ; 
Wrapt  in  his  rug,  the  forest  he  regains, 
A  homeless  exile  on  his  native  plains. 

Howe'er  stern  Prejudice  these  woes  may  viewt 
A  tear  to  Nature's  tawny  sons  is  due ; 
'['he  same  false  virtue  and  ambitious  fire, 
Which  nations  idolize,  and  kings  admire, 
D 


50  THE     FORESTERS. 

Provoke  the  white  man  to  the  bloody  strife, 
And  bid  the  Indian  draw  his  deadly  knite ; 
The  glory  ours,  in  victory  to  save, 
His,  still  to  glut  with  every  foe  the  grave ; 
Nor  age,  nor  sex,  his  country's  foe  avails, 
So  strong  his  passion  o'er  the  rest  prevails ; 
And  equal  woes  must  wring  his  manly  heart, 
From  native  shades  forever  forced  to  part. 

Through  this  sweet  vale,  that  wooded  hills  enclose, 
A  clear  deep  stream  in  glassy  silence  flows  ;(33) 
There  sportive  trout  disturb  the  dimpling  tide, 
And  shoals  of  salmon,  pike  and  suckers  glide ; 
Thick  vines  and  sycamores  in  rich  array, 
Bend  o'er  its  banks,  and  mark  its  winding  way  ; 
Gigantic  walnuts,  bare  and  blasted  rise  (34) 

And  stretch  their  bleached  arms  midway  to  the  skies., 
There  sits  the  hawk,  (35)  inured  to  feasts  of  blood, 
Watching  the  scaly  tenants  of  the  flood ; 
Or  listening,  pensive,  to  the  distant  roar 
Of  yon  white  falls  that  down  the  mountain  pour; 
The  ace  to  the  lake  broad  level  marshes  spread, 
Where  close  rank  reeds  conceal  the  muskrat's  bed ; 
Above,  around,  in  numerous  flocks  are  seen 
Long  lines  of  ducks  o'er  this  their  fav'rite  scene; 
Some  to  the  lake  in  wedged  divisions  bend  ; 
Some  o'er  the  creek  in  lengthening  showers  descend. 
Ah,  how  could  sportsmen  such  a  sight  survey 
Nor  seek  to  share  the  pleasures  of  the  day  ] 
Do  well-drest  beauties  shun  theatric  walls  ] 
Or  sleeps  the  swain  when  his  own  sweetheart  calls  1 


THE    FORESTERS.  §1 

A  skiff  and  paedles  near  the  landing  lay, 
Two  striplings  proffered  to  conduct  my  way, 
Fixed  in  the  bow  for  slaughter  I  prepare, 
The  deadly  barrels  ready  poised  in  air ; 
Slow  round  an  opening  point  we  softly  steal, 
Where  four  large  ducks  in  playful  circles  wheel, 
The  far-famed  canvass-backs(36)  at  once  we  know, 
Their  broad  flat  bodies  wrapt  in  pencilled  snow ; 
The  burnished  chestnut  o'er  their  necks  that  shone, 
Spread  deepening  round  each  breast  a  sable  zone ; 
Wary  they  gaze — our  boat  in  silence  glides, 
The  slow-moved  paddles  steal  along  the  sides ; 
Quick  flashing  thunders  roar  along  the  flood, 
And  three  lie  prostrate  vomiting  their  blood  ! 
The  fourth  aloft  on  whistling  pinions  soared, 
One  fatal  glance  the  fiery  thunders  poured, 
Prone  drops  the  bird  amid  the  dashing  waves, 
And  the  clear  stream  his  glossy  plumage  laves. 
Now  all  around  us  rising  trains  appear, 
Wild  whistling  wings  on  every  hand  we  hear ! 
Th'  alarm  of  death  amid  their  legions  spread, 
In  files  immense  they  winnow  overhead  ; 
Hoarse  heavy  geese  scream  up  the  distant  sky, 
And  all  the  thunders  of  our  boat  defy ; 
Close  under  rustling  vines  we  skulking  glide, 
Till  the  loud  uproar  and  alarm  subside ; 
Here  grapes  delicious,  clustering,  hung  around, 
The  mother  vines  through  bending  birches  wound ; 
N  ct  richer  ripen  on  Vesuvius'  side, 
Than  here  spontaneous  nodded  o'er  the  tide. 


52  THK    FORESTERS. 

Now  all  again  is  silent  and  serene, 
Slow  glides  our  skiff  aleng  the  glassy  scene, 
O'er  the  flat  marsh  we  mark  the  plovers(37)  sweep. 
And,  clustering  close,  their  wheeling  courses  keep, 
Till  like  a  tempest,  as  they  past  us  roar, 
Whole  crowds  descend,  to  rise  again  no  more ; 
Prone  on  the  sand,  the  snowy  tribe  are  spread, 
Then  hove  on  board,  and  piled  among  the  dead. 
Beyond  a  point,  just  opening  to  the  view, 
A  fleet  of  ducks(38)  collect  their  scattered  crew, 
Part,  soon  alarmed,  with  sudden  splattering  soar, 
The  rest  remaining  seek  the  farther  shore; 
There,  'cross  a  neck,  concealed  by  sheltering  vines, 
Down  the  smooth  tide  I  view  their  floating  lines, 
With  sudden  glance  the  smoky  vengeance  pour, 
And  death  and  ruin  spread  along  the  shore  I 
The  dead  and  dying  mingling,  float  around, 
And  loud  the  shoutings  of  my  guides  resound. 

But  now  the  Lake(39)  wide  opening  spreads   belcw? 
Bright  o'er  its  smooth  expanse  the  sun-beams  glow, 
There  downward  skies  in  concave  vast  appear, 
And  circling  wide  complete  one  boundless  sphere ; 
Far  spreading  forests  from  its  shores  ascend ; 
And  tow'ring  headlands  o'er  the  flood  impend  ; 
These,  deep  below,  in  softened  tints  are  seen, 
Where  Nature  smiles  upon  herself  serene, 
O  lovely  scenes !  In  ecstacy  I  cried, 
That  sink  to  nothing  all  the  works  of  pride  ! 
What  are  the  piles  that  puny  mortals  rear, 
Their  temples,  towers,  however  great  or  fairr 


THE     FORESTERS.  53 

Their  mirrors,  carpets,  tapestry,  and  state, 
The  nameless  toys  that  Fashion's  fools  create, 
To  this  resplendent  dome  of  earth  and  sky, 
Immensely  stretched!  immeasurably  high! 
Those  yellow  forests,  tinged  with  glowing  red, 
80  rich  around  in  solemn  grandeur  spread, 
Where,  here  and  there,  in  lazy  columns  rise, 
The  woodman's  smoke,  like  incense  to  the  skies ! 
This  heaven-reflecting  Lake,  smooth,  clear,  profound, 
And  that  primaeval  peace  that  reigns  around ! 
As  well  may  worms  compare  with  souls  divine, 
As  Art,  0  NATURE  !  match  her  works  with  thine. 

Now  high  iu  heav'n  the  hastening  sun  had  sped, 
My  comrades,  too,  were  trudging  far  ahead, 
Piled  at  my  feet  enough  for  carnage  lay, 
So  slow  to  shore  we  cut  our  liquid  way, 
There,  where  a  hill  the  level  marsh  confines, 
Lifts  its  rough  front,  and  o'er  the  Lake  reclines, 
Where  glittering  through  the  trees  that  rise  below, 
A  brawling  cataract  falls  in  sheets  of  snow, 
Prone  from  the  precipice,  and  steals  unseen, 
Through  birchen  thickets  to  the  lake  serene, 
While  softened  echoes  join  in  cadence  sweet, 
And  sheltering  scenery  form  a  blest  retreat ; 
There  on  the  slaty  shore,  my  spoils  I  spread, 
Ducks,  plover,  teal,  the  dying  and  the  dead  ; 
Two  snow-white  storks,(40)  a  crane  of  tawny  hue, 
Stretched  their  long  necks  amid  the  slaughtered  crew. 
A  hawk, (41)  whose  claws,  white  tail,  and  dappled 
breast, 


54  THE    FORESTERS. 

And  eye,  his  royal  pedigree  confest ; 

Snipes,  splendid  suinmer-ducks,(42)  and  divers  wild, 

In  one  high  heap  triumphantly  I  piled  ; 

Then  joining  heads  that  ne'er  were  joined  hefore, 

Across  my  gun  the  feathery  burden  hore ; 

Sought  out  the  path  that  scaled  the  mountain's  side, 

Farewell !  "  Goodbye  !"  the  smiling  younkers  cried  ; 

Up  through  th'  incumbent  shades  I  took  my  way, 

They  to  their  boat  with  glittering  dollar  gay. 

The  day  was  hot,  the  load  of  ponderous  size, 
To  heaven's  own  gates  the  mountain  seemed  to  rise ; 
Large  ruined  logs  the  winding  labyrinth  crost, 
And  soon  the  path  in  tangling  brush  was  lost. 
Up  these  rough  steeps  I  bore  my  plunder  through, 
That  still  more  prized  and  more  oppressive  grew, 
Till,  drenched  with  sweat,  I  gained  the  mountain's  head, 
And  steered  as  chance  or  blind  conjecture  led  ; 
Filled  the  deep  forest  with  the  shouts  I  made, 
That  died,  unanswered,  through  the  distant  shade ; 
While  startled  squirrels,  mounting  in  affright, 
Looked  down,  and  chattered,  at  th'  alarming  sight. 
At  length  two  guns,  that  made  the  mountain  roar, 
Produced  an  answering  peal  from  those  before ; 
And  ten  long  miles  in  doubt  and  drudgery  past, 
I  reached  my  comrade's  and  the  road  at  last ; 
Where  peals  of  mirth  succeeding  their  amaze, 
They  shared  my  load,  and  loaded  me  with  praise. 

Beyond  the  woods  where  Erie's  waves  extend, 
Behold,  once  more,  the  setting  sun  descend ; 


THE     FORESTERS.  55 

Lone  chirping  crickets  hail  the  coming  night, 

And  bats  around  us  wheel  their  giddy  flight; 

The  drumming  pheasant  vibrates  on  the  ear ; 

The  distant  forests  dimly  disappear. 

Slow  sinks  the  day;  and  through  the  impending  woods, 

Night  spreads    her    wings,    and    deepening    darkness 

broods. 

A  death-like  silence  reigns  the  forest  through  ; 
At  last  the  path  evanishes  from  view. 
Here  as  we  stoop,  our  dubious  course  to  steer, 
Inhuman  screams  at  once  assail  our  ear  ; 
The  hollow,  quivering,  loud  repeated  howl, 
Full  overhead.,  betrays  the  haggard  owl  ; 
Who,  well  for  her,  in  muffling  darkness  past, 
Else  this  heart-sinking  scream  had  been  her  last. 

Thus  through  the  forest,  wrapt  in  deepest  shade, 
Beneath  black  arms  of  tow'ring  oaks  we  strayed, 
At  solemn  intervals  the  peace  profound 
Disturbed  by  rattling  nuts  thatdropt  around. 
Shrill,  wildly  issuing  from  a  neighboring  height, 
The  wolf's  deep  bowlings  pierce  the  ear  of  night ; 
From  the  dark  swamp  he  calls  his  skulking  crew, 
Their  nightly  scenes  of  slaughter  to  renew ; 
Their  mingling  yells  sad  savage  woes  express, 
And  echo  dreary  through  the  dark  recess. 
Steady  along  through  swamps  and  pools  we  went; 
The  way-worn  foresters  fatigued  and  faint, 
Scrambling  o'er  fallen  logs  that  fractured  lay, 
Or  stunned  by  viewless  boughs  that  crossed  our  way ; 
While  glaring  round,  through  roots  and  stumps  decayed, 


56  THE     FORESTERS. 

Phosphoric  lights  their  pallid  gleams  displayed. 

Sudden  a  horrid  human  shriek  we  hear, 

That  shot  its  terrors  through  our  startled  ear ; 

"  Ha !  are  you  there  !"  the  watchful  Duncan  cried, 

"  Halt!  fix  your  bayonets,  and  look  out  ahead !" 

A  second  scream  announced  the  panther  nigh, 

The  dark  woods  echoing  back  the  rueful  cry ; 

Still  as  the  grave  suspending  every  breath, 

Steady  we  stood  to  mark  its  passing  path, 

Prepared,  and  eager  for  one  deadly  aim, 

To  pour  destruction  through  its  tawny  frame ; 

But  vain  our  listening;  nothing  seemed  awake, 

Save  the  lone  murmer  of  the  neighboring  lake ; 

All  else  lay  dead  and  silent  as  before ; 

And  even  the  distant  wolf  was  heard  no  more. 

Amidst  this  deep  Egyptian  darkness  lost, 
Our  faithful  pilot  ne'er  forsook  his  post ; 
But  knew,  or  seemed  to  know,  each  swamp  and  pond, 
And  kept  his  steady  course  unerring  on. 
Behold  !  in  front,  a  spreading  radiance  gleams ! 
Wide  glowing,  ruddy  and  immense  it  seems, 
Such  as  the  rising  moon's  broad  orb  bestows, 
When  up  night's  starry  vault  she  solemn  goes, 
Each  moment  brightening,  lo  !  to  our  amaze, 
The  woods  on  fire  in  ardent  fury  blaze ; 
Dark  trees  before  us  of  gigantic  size, 
In  deeper  shades  in  gloomy  pomp  arise ; 
The  flames  beyond,  ascending  with  them  bear 
Thick  clouds  of  spurkling  smoke  that  fill  the  air. 


THE     FORESTERS.  57 

Approaching  near,  it  opes  in  dread  display, 
Diffusing  round  the  effulgency  of  day  ; 
Where,  glad  to  view  each  other's  looks  again, 
We  stand  contemplating  this  furious  scene  ; 
Here  piles  of  logs  like  furnaces  appear, 
The  rows  of  underbrush  rage  far  and  near ; 
Huge  tow'ring  oaks  amid  this  sea  of  fire, 
Descend  in  thunders,  and  in  flames  expire  ; 
Or,  blazing  high,  with  burning  gaps  imprest, 
Rain  showers  of  fire,  infectious  on  the  rest, 
Loud  roar  the  flames,  the  crackling  branches  fly, 
And  black  behind  the  smoky  ruins  lie. 

Thus  some  fair  city,  pride  of  many  an  age, 
Gleams  writh  the  light  of  war's  devouring  rage, 
Through  its  high  domes  the  flaming  torrents  pour, 
And  naked  turrets  o'er  the  burnings  lour ; 
The  midnight  sky  reflects  the  dreadful  blaze, 
The  foe  at  distance,  with  enjoyment  gaze, 
Exult  to  find  their  vengeance  well  employed, 
The  works  of  ages  in  one  night  destroyed. 
So  looked  the  woodman,  who  behind  us  stood, 
Begrimmed  with  soot,  in  tattered  garments  rude, 
On  pitchfork  leaning,  hailed  with  "  How  d'ye  do  V 
And  looked  like  Lucifer  just  risen  to  view; 
At  Duncan's  voice,  advancing,  stood  amazed, 
And  each  on  other  for  a  moment  gazed, 
44  What  Johnny !"    "  Duncan  !"    "  Bless  my  heart  S 

near ! 

"  How  glad  our  folks  will  be  to  see  you  here ! " 
Kind  invitations  now  were  not  forgot, 


§8  THE     FORESTERS. 

And  through  corn-fields  we  followed  to  his  cot, 
Their  "  O's  !"  and  "Dears  !"  and  salutations  o'er, 
The  pondrous  knapsacks  sunk  upon  the  floor ; 
Seats,  quickly  ranged,  our  weary  limbs  invite, 
And  kind  inquiries  all  our  toils  requite ; 
And  while  our  meal  a  young  brunette  prepared, 
The  ancient  father's  humorous  jokes  we  shared, 
Though  ninety  years  had  silvered  o'er  his  head, 
Yet  life's  green  vigor  seemed  but  little  fled ; 
The  burning  woods  that  late  before  us- blazed, 
His  axe  had  levelled,  and  his  handspike  raised  ; 
None  laughed  more  hearty,  sung  with  livelier  glee, 
Or  joked,  or  told  a  merrier  tale  than  he; 
Kind,  cheerful,  frank ;  in  youth  a  sailor  brave, 
"  Now  bound  for  brighter  worlds  beyond  the  grave." 
Two  favorite  sons,  obliging,  open,  mild, 
With  wild  wood  anecdotes  the  hours  beguiled ; 
Produced  their  rifles,  sedulous  to  please, 
Described  their  farm,  their  horses,  harvest,  bees, 
While  a  whole  hive,  the  crowded  garden's  boast, 
Crowned  our  repast,  and  spoke  the  generous  host. 
To  Jonny'sjoke  succeded  William's  tale, 
Sweet  Mary  served  with  many  a  witching  smile, 
And  thou  Devotion,  wert  a  kindred  guest, 
Of  all  our  joys  the  noblest  and  the  best; 
Around,  convened  with  David's  holy  lays, 
In  solemn  strains  awoke  our  evening  praise; 
The  kneeling  father's  fervent  prayers  ascend, 
"  0  be  the  strangers'  comfort  guide  and  friend ; 
Their  trust,  their  guardian,  wheresoe'er  they  go, 
To  view  thy  greatness  in  thy  works  below ; 


THE     FORESTERS.  59 

O  leave  them  not !  but  their  Director  be, 
To  that  last  stage  that  leads  them  home  to  Thee  !" 
Such  pious  goodness,  aged  worth  so  dear, 
The  trembling  voice  that  spoke  the  soul  sincere, 
With  thoughts  unspeakable  my  mind  opprest, 
Till  tears  relieved  the  tumult  of  my  breast: 
And  all  to  rest  retired,  and  silence  deep, 
To  lose  the  hardships  of  the  day  in  sleep. 

By  bawling  calves  and  jumbling  bells  awoke  ; 
We  start  amazed  to  see  the  morning  broke, 
Suck  blest  oblivion  balmy  sleep  bestows 
Where  toil-worn  Industry  and  Peace  repose. 
Geese,  turkeys,  ducks,  a  noisy,  numerous  brood, 
Mingle  their  gabblings  with  the  echoing  wood, 
Through  whose  tall  pillard  trees,  extending  blue, 
The  lake  Cayuga(43)  caught  our  ravished  view. 
Soon  on  its  oak-crowned  banks  sublime  we  stood, 
And  viewed,  from  right  to  left,  its  lengthened  flood, 
Of  vast  extent,  pure,  glassy  and  serene, 
Th'  adjacent  shores  and  skirting  huts  were  seen, 
The  eye  could  mark  the  whitened  frames,  the  ear 
Faint  sounds  of  barking  dogs  remotely  hear. 

Hither  before,  our  liberal  friends  had  sent 
Whate'er  of  stores  we  voyagers  might  want, 
Filled  all  our  wallets,  pressed  us  to  take  more, 
And  side  by  side  conveyed  us  to  the  shore  ; 
There  the  good  father  grasped  each  traveller's  hand, 
His  sons  and  family  mingling  o'er  the  strand, 


60  THE     FORESTERS 

"Farewell!"    "Goodbye!"    "God  bless  you!"    was 

the  cry, 

The  tears  of  friendship  swelling  in  each  eye. 
Charmed  with  a  love  so  free,  so  nobly  shown, 
His  clubbed  fuzee  across  his  shoulder  thrown, 
Our  pilgrim  bard  the  parting  group  addressed, 
And  thus  his  gratitude  and  ours  expressed  : 

"  For  all  your  goodness,  hospitable  friends  ! 
We  gladly  would  but  cannot  make  amends  ; 
All  that  we  can  we  humbly  offer  here, 
Our  dearest  wishes,  ardent  and  sincere  ; 
Long  with  success  may  all  your  toils  he  blest, 
And  each  rich  harvest  rival  all  that's  past ; 
Long  may  your  glittering  axe,  with  strength  applied, 
The  circling  bark  from  massy  trunks  divide, 
Or  wheeled  in  air  while  the  wide  woods  resound, 
Bring  crashing  forests  thundering  to  the  ground  ; 
Long  may  your  fires  in  flaming  piles  ascend, 
And  girdled  trees  their  wintry  arms  extend  ; 
Your  mighty  oxen  drag  the  logs  away, 
Arid  give  the  long  hid  surface  to  the  day : 
While  fields  of  richest  grain  and  pasture  good 
Shall  wave  where  Indians  strayed  and  forests  stood; 
And  as  you  sweat  the  rustling  sheaves  among, 
Th'  adjoining  woods  shall  echo  to  your  song. 
These  are  the  scenes  of  truest  joys  below, 
From  these  health,  peace  and  independence  flow  ; 
Blest  with  the  purest  air,  and  richest  soil, 
WThat  generous  harvests  recompense  your  toil ! 
Here  no  proud  lordling  lifts  his  haughty  crest ; 


THE    FORESTERS*  61 

Notinsel'd  scoundrel  tramples  the  distrcst; 
No  thief  in  black  demands  his  tenth  in  sheaves; 
But  man  from  God  abundantly  receives. 
In  rustic  dress  you  range  the  echoing  wood, 
Health  makes  you  gay,  and  simple  manners  good  ; 
Society's  best  joys  your  bosoms  know, 
And  plenty's  smiling  cup  without  its  wo. 
Farewell,  good  friends  !  be  virtue  still  your  guide, 
Still  scorn  injustice,  cruelty  and  pride, 
Whate'er  be  your  pursuits,  whate'er  your  care, 
Let  temperance,  peace  and  industry  be  there; 
From  these,  want,  pain,  and  care,  and  ruin  fly, 
And  half  the  ills  that  teach  mankind  to  sigh. 
Fear  not  success !  though  one  attempt  should  fail. 
Fate  yields  when  strength  and  constancy  assail ; 
Store  up  your  harvests,  sow  your  winter  grain, 
Prepare  your  troughs  the  maple's  juice  to  drain, 
Then,  when  the  wintry  north  outrageous  blows, 
And  nought  is  seen  but  one  wide  waste  of  snows. 
Ascend  the  fleeting  sleigh,  and  like  the  wind, 
Scour  o'er  the  hills  and  leave  the  wood  behind, 
Along  the  drifted  swamps  and  mountains  high, 
O'er  rocks  and  narrows(44)  make  your  horses  flrf 
Shoot  o'er  the  Susquehanna's  frozen  face, 
And  bleak  Wyoming's  lofty  hills  retrace ; 
Nor  let  the  hunter's  hut,  or  venison  stale, 
Or  his  loved  bottle^  or  his  wond'rous  tale, 
Ot  deer  and  bear  your  lingering  steeds  detain  ; 
But  swift  descend,  and  seek  the  southern  plain  ; 
There  where  the  clouds  of  Philadelphia  rise, 
And  Gray's  flat  bridge  across  the  Schuylkill  lies ; 

D2 


62  THE     FORESTERS. 

There  shall  your  grateful  friends  with  choicest  store, 
And  hearts  o'erflowing  welcome  you  once  more  ; 
There  friendship's  purest  joys  will  crown  the  whole, 
The  feast  of  reason  and  the  flow  of  soul/' 

Our  boat  now  ready  and  our  baggage  stored, 
Provisions,  mast,  and  oars  and  sails  aboard, 
With  three  loud  cheers  that  echoed  from  the  steep, 
We  launched  our  skiff  Niagara  to  the  deep ; 
The  shores  recede — the  oars  resounding  play, 
Fleet  through  th'  unruffled  flood  we  scour  away, 
Till  Evening  sweet  suspends  her  starry  veil, 
And  all  around  her  sparkling  orbs  prevail. 
There,  high  in  front,  the  Bear's  bright  splendors  glow, 
His  answering  glories  gild  the  deep  below. 
Profound  and  vast,  and,  as  we  onward  glide, 
Dance  on  the  bosom  of  the  dimpling  tide. 
Lone  Night  and  listening  Silence  seemed  to  sleep 
On  the  smooth  surface  of  the  glistening  deep ; 
Save  where  the  ducks  in  rising  thousands  soar, 
Leaving  the  dark  expanse  with  lengthened  roar, 
That  like  a  cataract  bursts  from  legions  near, 
And  dies  in  distance  on  the  vacant  ear. 
Meantime  young  Duncan,  as  the  oar  he  plies, 
With  voice  melodious  bids  the  song  arise, 
The  theme  Columbia,  her  sublime  increase, 
"  Blest  land  of  Freedom,  happiness  and  peac^, 
Far,  far  removed  from  Europe's  murderous  scene, 
A  wide,  a  friendly  waste  of  waves  between, 
Where  strangers  driv'n  by  tyranny  to  roam, 
Still  find  a  nobler  and  a  happier  home. 


THE     FORESTERS.  63 

Hail  blest  asylum  !  happy  country  hail ! 

O'er  thee  may  truth  ;  but  never  foe,  prevail." 

From  neighboring  shores,  and  cliffs  that  o'er  them  rise, 

The  listening  spirit  of  the  lake  replies, 

And  in  responses  sweet,  and  accents  plain, 

Repeats  each  period  of  th'  inspiring  strain. 

Now  like  dull  stars  the  lighted  bridge(45)  appears, 
Beneath  it  soon  our  little  vessel  steers, 
Where,  snugly  moored,  we  passed  away  the  night, 
And  weighed  next  morning  by  the  peep  of  light. 
Here  the  clear  lake  contracts  its  straightened  floods, 
And  winds  a  deepened  stream,  through  level  woods ; 
In  vain  our  tow'iing  mast  for  soundings  tries, 
Beyond  its  utmost  depth  the  bottom  lies ; 
Yet  so  transparent  its  pure  waters  flow, 
We  marked  the  smallest  leaf  that  lay  below. 
Ducks,  whistling  past,  like  meteors  fill  the  air, 
Our  fatal  guns  pursue  them  deadly  there, 
Glanced  from  the  eye  the  thundering  tubes  rebound, 
Fluttering  they  fall,  and  flap,  and  scream  around. 
Here  from  the  shore,  low  marshes  wide  expand, 
Where  bare  and  bleak  the  little  salt-works  (46)  stand, 
There  numerous  pits  their  briny  treasures  yield, 
And  pumps  and  tunnels  checker  all  the  field; 
Whether  old  Neptune  these  blest  springs  supplies,. 
Or  deep  below  the  massy  substance  lies, 
Let  idlers  guess  ;  while  nobler  souls  revero 
The  all  providing  Power  who  raised  them  here. 

Beneath  mild  sunshine  as  we  onward  glide,. 


64  THE     FORESTERS* 

Flat  moss-clad  forests  rise  on  either  side; 
High  'midst  the  leafless  multitude  is  seen 
The  dark  majestic  pine  in  deepest  green; 
The  snow  white  sycamores,  that  love  to  drink 
The  passing  stream  and  skirt  the  river's  brink, 
Wide  o'er  the  flood  their  arms,  capacious,  throwt 
To  meet  their  softened  forms  that  lie  below. 
Still  files  of  ducks  in  streaming  thousands  pour, 
At  every  bend  their  rising  torrents  roar, 
Till  near  Musquito  point  their  flocks  decrease 
Where  night  o'ertook  us,  and  we  moored  in  peace. 
High  rose  its  banks,  and  on  its  rugged  height, 
A  small  log  hovel  shone  with  glimmoring  light, 
Here  one  lone  woman  and  a  boy  we  found, 
The  trapper  absent  on  his  usual  round, 
On  board  his  skiff  had  sailed,  six  days  ago, 
To  try  his  luck  some  twenty  miles  below. 
This  solitary  hut,  small,  cheerless,  rude, 
Amid  vast  swamps  and  wildernesses  stood, 
Where  nightly  horrors  banished  oft  repose, 
Such  savage  cries  from  wolves  and  panthers  rose ; 
Fven  round  the  bolted  door  the  woman  said, 
At  midnight  frequent  she  could  hear  their  tread* 
The  fire  blazed  bright;  around  us  we  surveyed 
The  pendent  furs  with  which  it  was  arrayed  ; 
A  sacred  horse-shoe,  guardian  of  the  whole, 
Terror  of  sprites  profane,  and  witches  foul, 
Dread,  powerful  talisman,  'gainst  imps  unknown  ! 
Nailed  o'er  the  door  in  silent  mystery  shone. 
Just  as  the  dame  her  glowing  hearth  had  cleared, 
The  ragged  owner  of  the  hut  appeared, 


THE     FORESTERS.  65 

Laden  with  skins,  his  traps  around  him  slung, 

Two  dead  rackoons  across  his  shoulder  hung ; 

Muskrats  and  'possums  in  each  hand  he  bore ; 

A  large  brown  otter  trailed  along  the  floor; 

And  as  he  soused  them  down  with  surly  gloom, 

The  skunk's  abhorred  effluvia  filled  the  room. (47) 

"  Friends,  how  d'ye  do  ?     Well  wife,  how  come  you  on  ? 

How  fare  the  calves  ?"  "  Why  three  of  them  are  gone  !" 

"  Three ! — Ah,  these  wolves  !  they'll  eat  up  house  and 

hall ! 
And  have  they  killed  the  sheep?"  "They  have."  "What, 

all?11 

"  Yes  all."     :     :     "  I  thought  it  would  be  so. 
Well,  now  they're  at  an  end  let  them  go." 
So  said  he  whets  his  knife  to  skin  his  store, 
While  heaps  of  red  raw  carrion  fill  the  floor. 
As  morning  dawned,  our  little  skifYwe  trimmed, 
And  through  the  misty  flood  with  vigor  skimmed ; 
Now,  gliding  smooth,  \ve  hail  with  songs  the  morn ; 
Now,  down  white  boiling  breakers  headlong  borne, 
Again  enclosed  the  gray  wrood  round  us  rise, 
Wre  pass  where  Cross  Lake  green  and  stagnant  lies, 
And  mark  the  snakes,  amid  their  wat'ry  way, 
With  head  erect  our  dipping  oars  survey. 
Dead  lie  the  lonely  woods,  and  silent  shore, 
As  Nature  slept,  and  mankind  were  no  more. 
How  drear  !  how  desolate  to  ear  and  eye ! 
WThat  awful  solitudes  around  us  lie ! 
Sad  were  his  fate,  too  dreadfully  severe, 
For  life  condemned  to  linger  hopeless  here  ; 
From  such  lone  thoughts  of  gloomy  exiled  wo, 

E 


66  THE     FORESTERS. 

All  human  ties  forever  to  forego ; 
The  heart  shrinks  back,  dejected  and  dismayed, 
And  owns  that  man  for  social  joys  was  made. 
Yet  still,  what'er  cur  doubtful  hearts  may  say, 
Even  Nature's  self  to  habit  will  give  way, 
And  these  vast  solitudes,  so  deep  and  drear, 
As  more  frequented  might  become  more  dear. 

On  yonder  island,  opening  by  degrees, 
Behold  the  blue  smoke  mounting  through  the  trees! 
There,  by  his  fire,  'mid  sheltering  brush  obscured, 
His  bark  canoe  along  the  margin  moored, 
With  lank  jet  locks  that  half  his  face  conceal, 
The  Indian  hunter  eats  his  morning  meal. 
Stakes  rudely  reared  his  little  pot  suspend, 
Amid  the  smoke  his  busy  partners  bend, 
Beyond,  sly  peeping,  feerful  to  be  seen, 
Two  copper  chubs  their  favorite  shell-barks  glean. 
Another  night  another  hut  supplies, 
In  half  an  hour  the  crazy  fabrics  rise ; 
The  roof  with  bark,  the  floor  with  spruce  bespread, 
The  stakes  around  with  skins  and  venison  clad  ; 
At  our  approach  suspicion  lours  his  eye, 
That  scarce  regards  us  gliding  swiftly  by. 
His  life  how  simple,  and  his  wants  how  few  ! 
A  blanket,  leggin?,  rifle,  and  canoe, 
Knife,  hatchet,  mockasins, — not  much  beside, 
And  all  beyond  to  him  is  empty  pride. 

O'er  these  lone  swamps  the  Muse  impatient  flies, 
Where  mighter  scenes  and  nobler  prospects  rise, 


THE    FORESTERS.  67 

Nor  stoops,  in  dull  rehearsal  to  detail 

Each  roaring  rapid  and  each  adverse  gale, 

What  vagrant  tribes,  what  islands  met  our  view ; 

How  down  Oswego's  foaming  Falls  we  flew, 

Now  plunging  in  our  sinking  bark  to  save, 

Now  headlong  hurried  down  th'  outrageous  wave; 

How  through  the  still  clear  flood,  with  sounding  oars, 

We  swept,  and  hailed  with  songs  the  echoing  shores. 

These  had  their  pleasures,  and  perhaps  their  fears  ; 

But  terrors  fly  when  daring  courage  steers. 

A  thousand  toils,  a  thousand  dangers  past, 

The  long-expected  Lake  appears  at  last, 

Seen  through  the  trees,  like  Ocean's  boundless  blue, 

Huzza !  huzza !  ONTARIO  is  in  view ! 

With  flying  hats  we  hail  the  glorious  spot, 
And  every  care  and  every  fear 's  forgot. 
So,  when  of  old  we  crossed  th'  Atlantic  waves, 
And  left  a  land  of  despots  arid  of  slaves, 
With  equal  joy  COLUMBIA'S  shores  we  spyed, 
And  gave  our  cares  and  sorrows  to  the  tide. 

Here,  ere  we  lanch  the  boundless  deep  along, 
Surrounding  scenes  demand  their  share  of  song. 

Mark  yon  bleak  hill,  where  rolling  billows  break, 
Just  where  the  river  joins  the  spacious  lake, 
High  on  its  brow,  deserted  and  forlorn, 
Its  bastions  levelled,  and  its  buildings  torn, 
Stands  Fort  Oswego;(48)  there  the  winds  that  blovr 
Howl  to  the  restless  surge  that  groans  below  ; 


68  THE     FORESTERS. 

There  the  lone  sentry  walked  his  round  ;  or  stood, 
To  view  the  sea-fowl  coursing  o'er  the  flood ; 
'Midst  night's  deep  gloom  shrunk  at  the  panther's  hcv 
And  heard  a  foe  in  every  whooping  owl. 
Blest  times  for  soldiers !  times,  alas,  not  near, 
When  foes  like  these  are  all  they  have  to  fear; 
When  man  to  man  will  mutual  justice  yield, 
And  wolves  and  panthers  only  stain  the  field. 

Those  straggling  huts  that  on  the  left  appear, 
Where  boats  and  ships  their  crowded  masts  uprear, 
Where  fence,  or  field,  or  cultured  garden  green, 
Or  the  blessed  plough,  or  spade  were  never  seen, 
Is  old  Oswego ;  once  renowned  in  trade, 
Where  numerous  tribes  their  annual  visits  paid, 
From  distant  wilds,  the  beaver's  rich  retreat, 
Fcr  one  whole  moon  they  trudged  with  weary  feet ; 
Pilec1  their  rich  furs  within  the  crowded  store, 
Replaced  their  packs,  and  plodded  back  for  more. 
But  time  and  war  have  banished  all  their  trains, 
And  nought  but  potash,  salt,  and  rum  remains. 
The  boisterous  boatman,  drunk  but  twice  a  day, 
Begs  of  the  landlord  ;  but  forgets  to  pay ; 
Pledges  his  salt  a  cask  for  every  quart, 
Pleased  thus  for  poison,  with  his  pay  to  part. 
From  morn  to  knight  here  noise  and  riot  reign  ; 
From  night  to  morn  'tis  noise  and  roar  again. 

Around  us  now  Ontario's  ocean  lay, 
Rough  rose  its  billows,  crown'd  with  foaming  spray, 
The  grim  north-east  in  roaring  fury  blew, 


THE     FORESTERS.  69 

And  our  frail  bark,  deep  dashing  labored  through  ; 

Our  blanket-sail,  and  feeble  sapling  mast, 

Drank  the  rough  waves,  and  quivered  in  the  blast, 

A  friendly  sloop  for  Queenstown(49)  harbor  bound, 

While  night's  foul  hurricanes  were  gathering  round, 

Beheld  our  danger,  saw  our  numbers  few, 

And  for  our  boat  received  its  willing  crew ; 

Both  safe  onboard  they  trim  their  thundering  sail, 

The  boom  and  main-sheet  bending  to  the  gale. 

Hard  by  the  helm  th'  experienced  master  stood, 

And,  far  to  windward,  eyed  the  whitening  flood, 

Saw  in  the  east  the  coming  tempest  lour, 

On  night's  black  wings  impetuous  to  devour !  (50) 

Her  roaring  bow  the  boiling  spray  divides, 

Two  foaming  torrents  sweep  along  the  sides, 

Reef  after  reef  retrench  the  straining  sail, 

And  the  racked  vessel  staggers  in  the  gale ; 

Now  up  th'  outrageous  wave's  high  steep  we  go, 

Now  plunge  down  headlong  in  the  gulf  below, 

Slow  rising,  shivering  through  tempestuous  clouds, 

That  howled  like  demons  in  the  whizzing  shrouds. 

Down  in  the  cabin  by  the  uproar  driven, 

Headless  of  all  the  warring  winds  of  heaven, 

Sick,  groaning,  speechless,  and  unfit  to  pray, 

Our  three  pale  foresters  inglorious  lay  ; 

Groan  answered  groan  ;  wrhile  at  each  desperate  throe 

The  deep  bilge-water  churned  and  roared  below. 

Sad  night  of  sickness,  tumult,  fears  and  hopes, 

Of  roaring  surges,  and  of  rattling  ropes, 

Heart-rending  Teachings,  tossings  to  and  fro, 

And  all  the  horrors  land-born  lubbers  know. 


70  THE     FORESTERS. 

At  length  the  morn  arose,  the  storm  withdrew, 
And  fair  the  breeze  with  steady  vigor  blew. 

First  upon  deck,  our  bard,  uncheered  with  sleep, 
Gazed  silent  round  upon  the  shoreless  deep, 
From  whose  vast  bosom,  where  the  orient  glows, 
The  glorious  sun  in  reddening  pomp  arose. 
The  cold  camboose  with  blazing  faggots  filled, 
And,  though  in  culinary  lore  unskilled, 
Fryed  the  nice  venison,  well  with  onions  stored, 
And  summoned  Leech  and  Duncan  to  the  board. 
Slow  from  the  cabin  mount  the  staggering  pair, 
Pale  their  changed  cheeks,  and  wild  their  haggard  air. 
So  look  two  ghosts  that  Tyburn's  tree  attend, 
When  the  last  signal  calls  t^em  to  ascend. 
Soon  as  the  sav'ry  steams  their  nostrils  gain, 
They  sicken,  heave,  and  stagger  down  again, 

Bold  hearted  Duncan  !  who'd  have  dreamt  to  see 
This  pale  Sea-spectre  fix  her  fangs  on  thee  ] 
On  thee,  who  dauntless  down  the  torrent's  course, 
'Midst  rocks  and  foam,  defied  its  roaring  force ; 
Still  first  the  dangers  of  the  chase  to  share, 
To  pierce  the  panther,  or  o'erwhelm  the  bear; 
And  at  the  joyous  feast  that  crowned  the  whole, 
With  mirth  and  songs  to  elevate  each  soul. 

"  Cheer,  comrades,  cheer !  deliverance  is  at  hand  ! 
"Lo  !  on  the  lee-bow  lies  the  hazy  land  !" 
Loud  hailed  the  bard.     At  once,  in  cheerful  mood, 
Firm  upon  deck  the  active  Duncan  stood ; 


THE     FORESTERS.  71 

The  wide  expanse  with  freshend  looks  he  eyed, 
And  "  Who 's  afraid  ?"  in  sportive  humor  cried. 
Meantime  the  gale  our  flying  vessel  bore, 
On  wings  sf  wind,  full  thirteen  knots  an  hour ; 
And,  just  as  day  its  closing  light  withdrew, 
Niagara's  light-house  opened  on  our  view, 
Its  star-like  radiance  shone  with  steady  ray, 
Like  Venus  lingering  in  the  rear  of  day. 
By  slow  degrees  the  sinking  hreezes  die, 
And  on  the  smooth  still  flood  we  logging  lie. 

Roused  by  the  mourning,  and  the  neighboring  drum, 
Swift  upon  deck  with  eager  eyes  we  come, 
There,  high  in  air,  (the  fortress  full  in  view)  (51) 
Our  star-crowned  stripes  in  waving  triumph  flew. 
Hail,  sacred  flag !  to  sons  of  Freedom  dear, 
Thy  country's  valor  reared  thine  honors  here; 
Eternal  blessings  crown  her  rich  increase, 
Her  bands  of  union  and  her  stars  of  peace. 

Before  us  now  the  opening  river  pours, 
Through  gradual  windings  and  projecting  shores; 
Smooth  slopes  the  green  where  Newark's  village  lies, 
There,  o'er  their  fort, (52)  the  British  ensign  flies. 
"From  whence  v"  they  hail;  we  shout  with  trumpet's 

sound, 

"  From  Fort  Oswego;  up  to  Queenstown  bound." 
"What  news?"    "The  Speedy's  pump  on  board  we 

hear, 

"  The  sole  found  fragment  of  that  sad  affair." 
Th'  increasing  distance  drowns  their  faint  reply, 


72  THE     FORESTERS. 

And  up  the  adverse  stream  we  foaming  fly. 

Now  fall  in  front  the  Ridge(53)  its  height  uprears, 
Its  high,  grim  gap,  like  some  vast  cave  appears  ; 
Thick  wheel  strong  eddies,  marked  with  whirling  foam, 
As  from  this  gloomy  chasm  they  hurrying  come ; 
Low  at  its  foot,  with  stores  and  gardens  gay, 
Close,  snugly  sheltered,  little  Queenstown  lay ; 
Here  night  once  more  her  shadows  o'er  us  throw, 
And,  safely  moored,  we  bid  our  bark  adieu. 

Long  seemed  the  night ;  impatient  of  repose, 
By  day's  first  dawn  delighted  we  arose; 
A  day  replete  with  scenes  sublime  and  new 
About  to  burst  on  our  astonished  view. 
Sweet  rose  the  morning,  silent  and  serene, 
No  vagrant  cloud,  or  stirring  leaf  was  seen, 
The  sun's  warm  beams  with  dazzling  radiance  glow, 
And  glittering  dance  upon  the  flood  below, 
Soon  full  equipt  the  towering  ridge  we  scale, 
Thence,  gazing  back,  a  boundless  prospect  hail. 

Far  in  the  east  Ontario's  waters  spread, 
Vast  as  the  Ocean  in  his  sky-bound  bed. 
Bright  through  the  parted  plain  that  lay  between, 
Niagara's  deep  majestic  flood  was  seen  ; 
The  right  a  wilderness  of  woods  displayed, 
Fields,  orchards,  woods,  were  on  the  left  arrayed. 
There,  near  the  lake's  green  shore,  above  the  flood, 
The  tall,  white  light-house  like  a  column  stood. 
O'er  each  grim  fort,  high  waving  to  the  view, 


THE     FORESTERS.  73 

Columbia's  stars,  and  Britafn's  crosses  flew. 
Thus  two  stern  champions  watch  each  other's  eye, 
And  mark  each  movement  ready  to  let  fly. 

Up  to  the  ridge's  top,  high  winding  led, 
There  on  a  flat,  dry  plain,  we  gaily  tread, 
And  stop,  and  list,  with  throbbing  hearts  to  hear 
The  long-expected  cataract  to  meet  the  ear ; 
But  list  in  vain.    Though  five  short  miles  ahead, 
All  sound  was  hushed  and  every  whisper  dead. (51) 

"  'Tis  strange,"  said  Duncan,  "here  the  sound  might 

reach." 

"  'Tis  all  an  April  errand,1'  answered  Leech. 
"  Men  to  make  books  a  thousand  tales  devise, 
And  nineteen  twentieths  are  a  pack  of  lies. 
Here,  three  long  weeks  by  storms  and  famine  beat, 
With  sore  bruised  backs,  and  lame  and  blistered  feet, 
Here,  nameless  hardships,  griefs  and  miseries  past, 
We  find  some  mill-dam  for  our  pains  at  last. 
Once  safe  at  home,  kicked,  cudgelled  let  me  be 
If  e'er  a  bookmaker  makes  a  fool  of  me." 
He  spoke  and  groaned  ;  for,  heedless  of  his  wo, 
A  stubborn  stump  assailed  his  corny  toe, 
Stunned  with  the  stroke,  he  grinned  and  hopped  around, 
While  peals  of  mirth  and  laughter  loud  resound. 

Heavy  and  slow,  increasing  on  the  ear, 
Deep  through  the  woods  a  rising  storm  we  hear, 
Th'  approaching  gust  still  loud  and  louder  grows, 
As  when  the  strong  north-east  resistless  blows, 


74  THE    FORESTERS. 

Or  black  tornado,  rushing  through  the  wood, 

Alarms  th'  affrighted  swains  with  uproar  rude. 

Yet  the  blue  heavens  displayed  their  clearest  sky, 

And  dead  below  the  silent  forests  lie; 

And  not  a  breath  the  slightest  leaf  assailed; 

But  all  around  tranquility  prevailled. 

44  What  noise  is  that]"  we  ask  with  anxious  raein, 

A  dull  salt  driver  passing  with  his  team; 

"  Noise !  noise ! — why  nothing  that  I  hear  or  see, 

But  Niagara  tails. — Pray  whereabouts  live  ye  V 

All  looked  amazed  ;  yet  not  untouched  with  fear, 
Like  those  who  first  the  battle's  thunders  hear, 
Till  Duncan  said,  with  grave,  satiric  glee— 
"  Lord,  what  a  monstrous  mill-dam  that  must  be !" 
Leech  blushed  assent;  while,  as  we  nearer  drew, 
The  loudening  roar  more  harsh  and  heavy  grew. 
Awe-struck  sensations  new  all  speech  represt, 
And  expectation  throbbed  in  every  breast. 

Now  from  the  woods  immerging  into  day, 
Before  us  fields,  and  farms,  and  orchards  lay, 
The  sloping  hills  a  hollow  vale  disclose, 
\V  hence  hurrying  clouds  of  boiling  smoke  arose, 
Till  in  one  congregated  column  thrown, 
On  whose  bright  side  a  glorious  rainbow  shone, 
High  in  the  heavens  it  reared  its  towering  head, 
And  o'er  the  day  its  train  gigantic  led. (55) 
Beyond  its  base,  there  like  a  wall  of  foam, 
Here  in  a  circling  gulf  unbroken  thrown, 
"With  uproar  hideous,  first  the  Falls  appear, 


THE     FORESTERS.  75 

The  stunning  tumult  thundering-  on  the  ear. 
Above,  below,  wher'er  the  astonished  eye 
Turns  to  behold,  new  opening  wonders  lie, 
Till  to  a  steep's  high  brow  unconscious  brought, 
Lost  to  all  other  care  of  sense  or  thought, 
There  the  broad  river  like  a  lake  outspread, 
The  islands,  rapids,  falls,  in  grandeur  dread, 
The  heaps  of  boiling  foam,  th'  ascending  spray, 
The  gulf  profound,  where  dazzling  rainbows  play, 
This  great,  o'envhelming  work  of  awrful  Time, 
In  all  its  dread  magnificence  sublime, 
Rose  on  our  view,  amid  a  crashing  roar 
That  bade  us  kneel,  and  Time's  great  God  adore. 

As  when  o'er  tracks  immense  of  deserts  drear, 
Through  dangerous  nations,  and  'midst  toils  severe, 
Day  after  day  condemned  a  war  to  wage 
With  thirst  and  hunger,  men  and  lions  rage. 
Noon's  burning  heat,  and  nights  distressing  cold, 
Arabian  pilgrims  Mecca's  walls  behold  ; 
Those  holy  walls,  whose  sacred  roof  contains 
Mahomet's  tomb — their  prophet's  blest  remains, 
Past  sufferings  vanish,  every  sigh's  supprest, 
A  flood  of  rapture  rises  in  each  breast, 
All  hearts  confess  an  awful  joy  serene, 
And  humbly  bow  before  the  glorious  scene. 
Such  were  our  raptures,  Tsuch  the  holy  awe 
That  swelled  our  hearts  at  all  we  heard  and  saw ; 
Fixed  to  the  rock,  like  monuments  we  stood, 
On  its  flat  face,  above  th'  outrageous  flood, 
There,  v/hile  our  eyes  th'  amazing  whole  explored, 


76  THE     FORESTERS 

The  deep  loud  roar  our  loudest  voice  devoured. 

High  o'er  the  wat'ry  uproar,  silent  seen, 
Sailing  sedate,  in  majesty  serene, 
Now  'midst  the  pillard  spray  sublimely  lost, 
And  now,  emerging,  down  the  rapids  tost, 
Swept  the  gray  eagles,  gazing  calm  and  slow, 
On  all  the  horrors  of  the  gulf  below; 
Intent,  alone,  to  sate  themselves  with  blood, 
From  the  torn  victims  of  the  raging  flood. 

Whate'er  the  weather,  or  where'er  the  gale, 
Here  ceaseless  haze  and  flying  rains  prevail ; 
Down  bend  the  boughs,  with  weight  of  moisture  borne, 
Each  bush,  each  tree,  the  dazzling  drops  adorn  ; 
Save  when  the  deep  winter's  fiercest  rigors  blow, 
Then  falls  the  whirling  spray  in  silent  snow ; 
While  the  dew-drops  to  icicles  are  changed, 
In  glittering  pendent  parallels  arranged. 
Then,  too,  amid  the  Falls,  stupendous  rise 
Bright  icy  pillars  of  prodigious  size ! 
As  if  some  pile,  immense,  of  Greece  or  Rome, 
Where  deep  engulfed  within  their  hideous  womb. 

Drenched  to  the  skin,  our  baggage  d©wn  we  throw, 
Fixed  to  descend  into  the  gulf  below, 
Arnid  whose  wreck,  and  from  whose  depth  profound, 
Some  new  resoi:;ce  for  wonder  might  be  found; 
Along  the  dreadful  verge  we  cautious  steered, 
Till  the  tall  ladder's  tottering  top  appeared  ;  (5G) 
A  tree's  projecting  root  its  weight  sustains, 


THE     FORESTERS.  77 

The  dread  abyss  wheels  round  our  giddy  brains ; 
Leech,  like  a  bird,  with  the  whole  gulf  in  view, 
Down  its  slight  slippery  bars  regardless  flew ; 
The  bard  came  after,  not  devoid  of  fear, 
And  Duncan,  gay  and  laughing,  closed  the  rear ; 
The  cumb'rous  weight  its  bending  sides  assails, 
It  yields !  it  cracks  !  its  whole  foundation  tails  ! 
Fear,  swift  as  light,  the  rocks'  grim  pavement  stains 
With  mangled  limbs,  and  blood,  and  spattered  brains; 
But  firm  above  the  roots  remained,  though  rude, 
And  safe  below  on  Chaos'  shores  we  stood. 

Genius  of  song !  Great  Source  of  light  and  day  ! 
How  shall  the  Muse  this  dreadful  place  portray  ! 
Where,  all  around,  tremendous  rocks  were  spread, 
That  from  our  feet  in  headlong  fury  fled  ;(57) 
Rocks  that  great  Ajax,  with  his  hundreds  more, 
Could    scarce  have   moved   one  hairbreadth  from  the 

shore. 

Where  logs,  and  boards,  and  trees  of  reverened  age, 
Beat  to  a  pulp  amid  the  torrent's  rage, 
Fragments  of  boats,  oars,  carcases  unclean, 
Of  what  had  bears,  deer,  fowls  and  fishes  been, 
Lay  in  such  uproar,  'midst  such  clamor  drowned, (58) 
That  death  and  ruin  seemed  to  reign  around  ! 

High  in  our  front  th'  outrageous  river  roared, 
And  in  three  separate  falls  stupendous  poured  ; 
First,  slow  Fort  Slusher's(59)  down  was  seen  to  roam 
In  one  vast  living  sheet  of  glittering  foam ; 
On  its  south  side  a  little  islet  towers, 

E2 


78  THE     FORESTERS. 

There  one  small  pitch  o'er  broken  fragments  pours ; 

Goat-Island  next,  with  oaks  and  cedars  crowned, 

Its  shelving  base  with  dwarfish  shrubbery  bound, 

Along  the  brink  a  rocky  front  extends 

Four  hundred  yards,  and  at  the  Horse-shoe  ends. (60) 

There  the  main  forces  of  the  river  pour ; 

There,  fierce  above,  the  rushing  rapids  roar! 

The  mighty  wat'ry  mass,  resistless  grown, 

Green  down  th'  impending  brink  unbroken  thrown, 

Whelmed  amidst  dazzling  hills  of  boiling  spray, 

In  raging,  deafening  torrents  roars  away ! 

One  last  grand  object(61)  yet  remained  unviewed, 
Thither  we  crawl,  o'er  monstrous  fragments  rude, 
Struggling  through  caverns  deep,  now  prostrate  thrown, 
Now  up  wet  slippery  masses  clambering  on ; 
Below  in  foam,  the  raging  rapids  sweep, 
Above,  dark  hollowed  hangs  the  enormous  steep, 
Scooped  out  immense ;  resounding,  gloomy,  bare, 
Its  giddy  verge  projected  high  in  air; 
There  such  a  scene  of  rage  and  uproar  new, 
In  awful  grandeur  burst  upon  our  view, 
As  seized,  at  once,  all  power  of  speech  away, 
And  filled  our  souls  with  terror  and  dismay. 

Great  God  of  nature !  whose  blest  sun  and  showers 
Called  into  action  these  tremendous  powers, 
Where  shall  my  tongue  fit  force  of  language  find 
To  speak  the  dread  sensations  of  the  mind, 
When  o'er  the  impending  brink,  in  bounding  sweep, 
The  eye  pursued  this  deluge  to  the  deep, 


THE     FORESTERS.  79 

$aw  its  white  torrents  undulating  pour 

From  heaven  to  earth  with  deafening,  crashing  roar, 

Dashed  in  the  wild  and  torn  abyss  below 

'Midst  dazzling  foam  and  whirling  storms  of  snow, 

While  the  whole  monstrous  mass,  and  country  round, 

Shook  as  with  horror  at  the  o'erwhelming  sound  !  (02) 

Within  this  concave  vast,  dark,  frowning,  deep, 
Eternal  rains  and  howling  whirlwinds  sweep  ; 
The  slippery  rocks,  at  e*ory  faithless  tread, 
Threaten  to  whelm  us  headlong  to  the  dead  ; 
Oar  bard  and  pilot  curious  to  survey, 
IMiind  this  sheet  what  unknown  wonders  lay, 
Resolved  the  dangers  of  tlv  attempt  to  share, 
And  all  its  terrors  of  the  storm  to  dare ; 
So,  hand  in  hand,  \\ith  firm  yet  cautious  pace, 
Along  the  gloom  they  grope  this  dreary  space, 
'Midst rushing  winds,  descending  deep  they  gain. 
Dehind  th'  o'rhanging  horron  of  the  scene, 
There  dark,  tempestuous,  howling  regions  Ii2, 
And  whirling  floods  of  dashing  waters  fly, 
At  once  of  sight  deprived,  of  sense  and  breath, 
Staggering  amidst  this  caverned  porch  of  death, 
One  moment  more  had  swept  them  in  the  waves 
To  the  most  horrible  of  human  graves ; 
But  danger  here  to  desperate  force  gave  way, 
And  drove  them,  drenched  and  gasping  out  to  day. 

The  glooms  of  evening  now  began  to  close, 
O'er  heaps  of  rocks  our  homeward  steps  we  chose ; 
And  one  by  one,  th'  upright  ladder  scaled, 


80  THE     FORESTERS. 

While  night's  grim  darkness  deep  around  prevailed  \ 

Safe  on  the  fearful  brink,  we  search  around, 

And,  glimmering  near,  a  light  and  lodgings  found ; 

There  full  of  all  the  wonders  of  the  day, 

In  vain  on  bed  our  weary  heads  we  lay ; 

Still  loud  without  a  mighty  tempest  heaves  ; 

Still  the  calm  air  our  terror  undeceives. 

And  when  some  short  and  broken  slumbers  came, 

Still  round  us  roaring  swept  th'  outrageous  stream  \ 

Whelmed  in  the  deep  we  sunk,  engulfed,  forlorn ; 

Or  down  the  dreadful  Rapids  helpless  borne; 

Groaning  we  start !  and  at  the  loudening  war, 

Ask  our  bewildered  senses  where  we  are. 

At  length  with  watching  and  with  toil  opprest, 

The  thundering  tumult  rocked  us  into  rest. 


TH.fi  FOREST  KRIS, 


A  POEHE* 


Note  1 — Page  5. 

The  settler's  farm  with  blazing  fires  o'erspread. 

Settlers. — A  term  usually  applied  in  America  to  those 
persons  who  first  commence  the  operations  of  agricul 
ture  in  a  new  country,  by  cutting,  clearing,  and  actual 
settlement.  The  varied  appearance  of  the  woods  where 
these  are  rapidly  going  on,  forms  a  busy,  novel,  and  in 
teresting  picture. 

Note  3— Page  6.. 
And  roused  the  Katydid  in  chattering  wrath.. 

Katydid. — A  species  of  Gryllus  very  numerous  and! 
very  noisy  in  the  woods  at  that.season,. 


84  NOTES. 

Note  3— Page  7. 
Soft,  meek-eyed  Indian  summer  ruled  the  sky. 

This  expression  is  so  well  understood  in  the  United 
States  as  hardly  to  require  an  explanation.  Between  the 
months  of  October  and  December  there  is  usually  a 
week  or  two  of  cairn  serene  smoky  weather,  such  as  here 
described,  which  is  universally  denominated  th«  Indian 
summer. 

Note  4— Page  9. 
Through  fertile  Bucks,  &c. 

The  County  of  Bucks,  in  Pennsylvania,  is  a  rich, 
well-cultivated  tract  of  country,  containing  nearly  half 
a  million  of  acres,  and  upwards  of  30^000  inhabitant** 

Note  5— Page  10, 
As  o'er  Northampton's  barren  heights  we  steer, 

Northampton  is  an  oblong  hilly  county,  adjoining  that 

>f  Bucks.     It  is  crossed  nearly  at  right  angles  by  that 

omarkable  range  of  the  Alleghany  known  by  the  name  of 

he  Blue  Ridge  or  Blue  Mountain,  which  presents  tho 

Appearance  of  an  immense  rampart,  extending  farther 

than  the  eye  can  reach,  with  an  almost  uniform  height  of 

summit 


NOTES. 

Note  6—  Page  11. 
Das  Neue  Callender.  —  The  New  Almanac. 

Note  7—  Page  13. 
Thick  wastes  of  ground  oak,  &c. 

This  species  of  dwarf  oak  produces  great  quantities 
of  acorns,  which  the  bears,  pigeons,  grous,jays,  &c.  are 
extremely  fond  of.  It  grows  to  the  height  of  about  five 
feet,  very  close  and  affords  good  shelter  for  the  deer  and 
bear. 

Note  8—  Page  13. 

Enormous  gap  !  if  Indian  tales  be  true, 

Here  ancient  Delaware  once  thundered  through. 

This  pass  in  the  Blue  mountain  is  usually  called  the 
Wind  Gap.  The  reader  will  find  some  curious  conjec 
tures  on  its  formation,  in  Jefferson's  Notes  on  Virginia. 


Note  9  —  Page  14. 

Long  lakes  appeared  ;  but  at  the  increase  of  day 
Assumed  new  forms,  and  rolled  in  mist  away. 

The  effect  of  this  deception  was  really  astonishing.  — 


86  NOTES. 

Nothing  could  be  more  evident  to  the  eye ;  the  shores, 
the  waters,  studded  with  numerous  islands,  seemed  to 
disappear  as  if  by  enchantment. 


Note  10-Page  18. 

a  panther's  jaws, 

His  horrid  tusks,  and  life-destroying  claws. 

This  animal,  generally,  though  improperly,  called  by 
the  above  name,  is  the  felis  couguar  of  European  wri 
ters  ;  and  is  considered  as  the  most  dangerous  and  for 
midable  inhabitant  of  our  forests  on  this  side  of  the  0- 
hio.  They  are  still  numerous  among  the  mountains  of 
Pennsylvania  that  border  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  fre 
quently  destroy  deer,  calves,  sheep,  colts,  and  sometimes, 
it  is  said,  horses  and  cows.  They  are  bold  and  daring ; 
and  lie  in  wait  in  the  low  branches  of  trees  for  the  deer, 
on  whom  they  spring  with  prodigious  force,  and  soon  de 
stroy  them.  The  one  mentioned  above  had  seized  a  calf 
in  the  evening,  within  a  few  feet  of  a  girl  who  was  milk 
ing  ;  who  supposing  it  to  be  a  large  dog,  gave  the  alarm, 
and  attempted  to  drive  it  off.  The  old  hunter,  our  land 
lord,  soon  drove  him  up  a  tree  with  his  dog,  where  he 
shot  him. 


Note  II—  P.'.golS. 
O'er  rising  Pocano,  &c. 


NOTE3.  87 


A  small  spur  of  the  blue  ridge,  and  one  of  the  few 
places  in  Pennsylvania  frequented  by  the  tetrao  cupido,  or 
pinnated  grous. 


Note  12— Page  18. 

Here  prostrate  woods  yi  one  direction  strewed, 
Point  out  the  path  the  loud  tornado  rode. 

These  tornadoes  are  very  frequent  in  different  regions 
of  the  United  states.  The  one  above  alluded  to,  had  been 
extremely  violent ;  and  for  many  miles  had  levelled  the 
woods  in  its  way.  We  continued  to  see  the  effects  of  its 
rage  for  upwards  of  twenty  miles. 


Note  13— Page  19. 

• the  snorting  sound 

Of  startled  bruin  fixed  us  to  the  ground. 

At  this  season  of  the  year  great  numbers  of  bears  re 
sort  to  the  mountains  in  search  of  whortleberries,  which 
they  devour  with  great  voracity.  They  are  at  this  time 
very  fat,  and  individuals  are  frequently  shot  that  weigh 
tip  ward  s  of  400  Ibs. 


Note  14— Page  19. 
We  took  up  lodgings  at  the  shades  of  Death. 


86  NOTES. 

A  place  in  the  great  Swamp,  usually  so  called,  from 
its  low,  hollow  situation,  overgrown  with  pine  and  hem 
lock  trees  of  an  enormous  size,  that  almost  shut  out  tha 
light  of  day. 


Note  15— -Page  SO. 
Of  panthers  trapt— 

Our  host  made  himself  very  merry  by  relating  to  us 
an  anecdote  of  one  of  his  neighbors,  living  ten  or  twelve 
miles  off,  who,  having  fixed  his  large  steel  traps,  in  the 
evening,  returned  to  the  spot  next  morning,  when  to  his 
terror  he  saw  two  panthers  (F.  Couguar)  snrrounding  a 
trap  in  which  a  very  large  one  was  taken  by  the  leg.— 
Afraid  to  hazard  a  shot,  least  the  surviving  one  who  was 
at  liberty  might  attack  him,  he  hurried  home,  loaded  a- 
nother  gun  and  gave  it  to  his  wife,  an  intrepid  amazon, 
who  immediately  followed  him  to  the  scene.  Arrived 
within  forty  or  fifty  yards,  the  hunter  presented  to  take 
aim,  but  was  so  agitated  with  terror  that  he  found  himself 
altogether  unable.  His  wife  instantly  knelt  down  before 
him,  ordering  him  to  rest  the  rifle  on  her  shoulder,  which 
he  did,  and  by  this  expedient  succeeded  in  killing  th« 
whole  three. 


Note  16— Page  20. 
wildcats  he  had  oft  engaged. 


KOTES.  £9 

Felis  montana,  mountain  lynx.  Another  species  is  al 
so  found  among  these  mountains,  and  appears  to  be  the 
F.  rufa  of  Turton.  I  measured  one  of  these,  that  from 
the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail,  was  upwards  of  three 
feet. 


Note  17— Page  20. 

the  fluttering  partridge  dies. 

This  is  the  tetrao  virginianus  of  Linnseus.  In  the 
States  of  New-England  it  is  called  the  quail. 

Note  18— Page  21. 
Trailing  their  broad  barred  tails  two  pheasants  strode. 

The  bird  here  called  a  pheasant  is  the  ruffed  grous  (te* 
trao  umbellus)  of  European  naturalists.  In  New-Eng 
land  it  is  called  the  partridge. 

Note  19— Page  22. 

Dupont. — A  celebrated  manufacturer  of  gunpowder, 
on  the  Brandy  wine,  whose  packages  are  usually  impress 
ed  with  the  figure  of  an  eagle. 

Note  20— Page  23. 


90  NOTES. 

While  screams  of  horror  pierced  the  midnight  wood, 
And  the  dire  axe  drank  deep  of  human  blood. 

The  massacre  here  alluded  to,  took  place  after  the  bat 
tle  of  3d  July,  1773,  which  was  fought  near  this  spot. 
The  small  body  of  American  troops  were  commanded  by 
that  brave,  humane,  and  intelligent  officer,  colonel  Butler ; 
the  tones  and  savages  were  headed  by  another  colonel 
Butler,  of  a  very  different  description.  Were  I  disposed 
to  harrow  up  the  feelings  of  the  reader,  I  might  here  en 
large  on  the  particulars  of  this  horrible  affair ;  but  I 
choose  to  decline  it.  Those  who  wish  to  see  a  detail  of 
the  whole,  are  referred  to  the  Philadelphia  Universal 
Magazine  for  March  20,  1797,  p.  390. 


Note  21 — Page  26. 
Robins. — Turdus  migrator  i  us. 

Note  22 — Page  2G. 

Wood-cocks. — Picas  Pileatus,  the  great  scarlet  crested, 
black  woodpecker;  called  also  in  some  of  the  Southern 
States  the  log  cock. 

Note  23— Page  27. 

Eagle. — Fako  kitcocduxlus,  the  white  headed  or  bald 
eagle. 


NOTES.  91 

Note  24— Page  37. 

From  hill  to  hill  the  loud  responses  fly, 
And  in  the  vast  horizon  lessening  die. 

This  echo  may  be  considered  as  one  of  the  greatest 
curiosities  of  this  part  of  the  country/  After  more  than 
a  quarter  of  a  minute  had  elapsed,  the  sound  was  rever 
berated  with  astonishing  increase,  at  least  ten  successive 
times,  each  time  more  and  more  remote,  till  at  last  it 
seemed  to  proceed  from  an  immense  distance.  The  word, 
or  words  were  distinctly  articulated ;  as  if  giants  were 
calling  to  one  another  from  mountain  to  mountain.  When 
our  guns  were  discharged  at  once,  the  effect  was  still 
more  astonishing,  and  I  scarcely  believe,  that  a  succes* 
sion  of  broadsides  from  a  train  of  seventy-fours,  at  like 
distances,  in  any  other  place  would  have  equalled  it. 
The  state  of  the  atmosphere  was  very  favorable ;  and 
the  report  roared  along  the  clouds  in  one  continued  peal. 


Note  25— Page  40. 
Where,  rising  lone,  old  Spanish-Hill  appears. 

Tiiia  detached  mountain  stands  near  the  line  which 
separates  New-York  from  Pennsylvania,  not  far  from  the 
public  road,  is  of  a  conical  form,  and  may  be  between 
two  and  three  hundred  feet  high. 

Note  26— Page  43. 


92  NOTES. 

Here,  on  the  heights,  where,  suddenly  arrayed, 
These  hordes  their  last  despairing  effort  made,  &c. 

In  this  expedition  against  the  hostile  Indians,  which 
was  committed  to  the  management  of  General  Sullivan, 
and  crowned  with  the  most  complete  success,  the  only 
stand  made  by  the  savages  was  at  this  place,  August  29th, 
1799.  After  a  short  skirmish  they  were  driven  from  this 
their  last  hold,  and  pursued  beyond  the  Gennesse  river. 
Forty  of  their  towns,  and  upwards  of  160,000  bushels  of 
Indian  corn  were  destroyed.  The  remnant  of  the  tribes 
took  refuge  in  Canada ;  and  thus  an  immense  extent  of 
the  the  most  fertile  country  of  the  United  States  was 
laid  open  to  the  enterprise  of  our  active  and  industrious 
settlers.  The  white  population  of  these  parts  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  settled  since,  may  be  fairly  estimat 
ed  at  three  times  the  number  of  all  the  Indians  withia 
five  hundred  miles  of  the  place. 


Note  27— Page  44. 
Huge  loaded  arks  rush  down  the  boiling  tide. 

These  vessels  are  constructed  of  oak  and  pine  plank, 
and  built  in  the  form  of  a  parrallelogram ;  they  are  flat 
bottomed,  and  strongly  floored ;  and  capable  of  contain 
ing  many  thousand  bushels  of  Wheat  each  ;  sometimes 
droves  of  oxen  compose  part  of  their  cargoes.  On  ar 
riving  at  their  place  of  destination,  and  the  cargo  dispos 
ed  of,  the  arks  are  sold  to  the  lumber  dealers,  and  taken 
to  pieces  with  little  trouble. 


NOTES.  03 

Note  28— Page  44. 
Columbia's  harbor  shelters  them  at  laat. 

The  town  of  Columbia,  on  the  northeast  bank  of  th« 
Susquehanna,  at  Wright's  ferry,  ten  miles  from  Lancas 
ter,  is  the  great  depot  for  those  immense  stores  of  wheat, 
flour,  lumber,  &c.,  brought  down  the  river  for  an  extent 
of  more  than  three  hundred  miles.  The  bridge  which  it 
is  in  contemplation  to  erect  over  the  Susquehanna  near 
this  town,  will  be  an  additional  source  of  prosperity  to 
this  thriving  and  populous  place. 

Note  29— Page  45, 

In  two  wide  routes  their  waters  seek  the  main  ; 
Part  through  St.  Lawrence  meets  the  sea  again^ 
Part  to  the  south  pursues  its  wandering  way, 
And  rolls  to  Chesapeake's  capacious  Bay. 

In  a  matter  of  fact  poem,  such  as  this,  I  need  hardly 
observe,  that  the  above  is  literally  true.  The  proprietor 
of  part  of  this  meadow,  assured  me,  that  with  his  spada 
he  could,  at  pleasure,  send  the  waters  either  into  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  or  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  A 
species  of  salmon^  common  to  the  river  Susquehanna  and 
to  Lake  Ontario,  has  been  frequently  known  to  pass  fioift 
from  one  to  the  other  by  this  communication. 

Note  30— Page  46. 

Here  to  the  god, — -*-Hunger, 
F2 


94  NOTES. 

Note  31— Page  47. 

The  half-burnt  logs,  and  stakes  erected  near, 
Showed  that  the  sugar  camp  once  flourished  here. 

In  passing  among  these  stately  and  noble  trees,  which 
grow  here  in  great  luxuriance,  it  is  an  object  of  regret  to 
observe  how  unmercifully  their  trunks  are  cut  and  gash 
ed  with  the  axe ;  many  of  these  notches  are  so  deep,  that 
the  trees  have  either  been  killed,  or  overthrown  by  the 
first  storm  of  wind.  It  is  well  known  that  all  this  chop 
ping  is  unnecessary ;  and  that  a  small  auger-hole  is  e- 
qually  efficient,  nowise  injurious  to  the  tree,  and  may  ba 
done  in  one  tenth  part  of  the  time. 

Note  32— Page  48. 

Surrounding  hills  this  peaceful  place  inclose, 
And  form  a  scene  of  sheltered  sweet  repose. 

This  Indian  town,  Catharine,  situated  near  the  head  cf 
the  Seneca  Lake,  in  one  of  the  most  delightful  and  ro 
mantic  spots  imaginable,  contained  a  great  number  of 
houses,  with  large  orchards  and  extensive  corn  fields.— 
It  was  totally  destroyed  in  1779,  by  the  troops  under  the 
command  of  General  Sullivan,  who,  entering  the  place 
at  night,  found  it  nearly  deserted  of  its  inhabitants.  One 
miserable  old  squaw  alone  remained,  who,  from  extreme 
old  age,  was  incapable  of  walking;  and  looked  like  "the 
last  survivor  of  the  former  age."  The  general  ordered 
a  hut  to  be  erected  for  her,  with,  provisions  for  her  sub 
sistence  ;  but  she  did  not  long  survive  the  catastrophe  or 
lier.  nation,. 


NOTES.  5? 

Note  33— Page  50. 

Through  this  sweet  vale,  that  wooded  hills  inclose, 
A  clear  deep  stream  in  glassy  silence  flows. 

Catharine's  Creek,  which  forms  the  head  waters  of  the 
Seneca  Lake,  and  falls  into  its  southern  extremity.  From 
this  lake  to  the  landing,  a  distance  of  about  five  miles,  the 
creek  is  navigable  for  large  loaded  boats.  The  country 
between  this  place  and  Newtown,  on  the  Susquehanna,  is 
generally  level ;  and  the  distance  in  a  direct  line,  proba 
bly  not  more  than  twenty  miles.  The  practicability  of 
uniting  these  two  waters,  by  a  canal,  at  a  comparatively 
small  expense,  and  the  immense  advantages  that  would 
result  from  the  completion  of  such  an  undertaking,  hard 
long  been  evident  to  all  those  acquainted  with  that  part 
of  the  country. 

Note  34 — Page  50. 

Gigantic  walnuts,  bare  and  blasted,  rise 

And  stretch  their  bleached  arms  midway  to  the  skies. 

Some  of  these  trees,  owing  to  the  richness  of  the  soil, 
grow  to  an  extraordinary  size.  I  measured  one  that  was 
nearly  thirty  feet  in  circumference. 

Note  35— Page  50. 

There  sits  the  hawk. The  fishing-hasvk,  or  osprey; 

differing  considerably  from  the  bird  of  that  name  in  En-, 
rope.. 


KOTE9. 

Note  36— Page  51. 
The  far  famed  canvass-backs— — 

These  celebrated  and  justly  esteemed  ducks^  appear  to 
be  the  Anas  Ferina  of  Liir.  From  the  great  abundancy 
of  their  favorite  food,  (the  roots  of  the  Valiseneria  A- 
mericana,)  in  the  tide  waters  of  many  of  our  large  riv 
ers,  it  is  probable  that  their  flesh  is  much  more  deliciou* 
here  than  in  Europe. 

Note  37— Page  52. 

Plovers. — These  were  of  various  kinds  ;  among  tr bich. 
I  found  two  species  hitherto  undescribed, 

Note  39 —Page  53* 

A  fleet  of  ducks 

The  black-duck,  Jlnas  PerspiUattij  very  numerous  here* 

Note  39— Page  52. 
But  now  the  Lake 

The  Seneca  Lake*  This  beautiful  sheet  of  water  ia 
about  forty  miles  long,  by  from  one  and  a  half  to  three 
miles  in  breadth.  The  shores  are  generally  precipitous, 
consisting  of  a  brittle  blue  slate,  in  which  many  curious 
impressions  of  marine  shells  are  perceivable.  In*  §hort 
search  I  found  upwards  of  twenty. 


NOTES.  97 

Note  40 — Page  53. 

Two  snow  white  storks 

Jlrdea  JHba  of  Lin.    These  are  only  summer  birds  j  and 
very  transient  visitants  in  these  northern  regions. 

Note  41— Page  53. 

A  hawk  whose  claws,  white  tail,  and  dappled  breast, 
And  eye  his  royal  pedigree  confest. 

The  white  tailed  eagle  (Falcofulvus^  so  much  sought 
after  by  the  Indians  of  North  America  for  its  quill  and 
tail  feathers,  with  which  they  plume  their  arrows,  orna 
ment  their  calumet,  and  adorn  their  dresses.  It  inhabits 
from  Hudson's  Bay  to  Mexico.  The  claws  and  beak  of 
this  bird  are  of  an  extraordinary  size. 

Note  42— Page  54. 

Splendid  summer  ducks 

Called  by  some  the  wood-duck  (Jlnas  Sponsa,)  the 
most  beautiful  of  its  tribe  in  North  America.  They  aro 
easily  tamed,  and  become  very  familiar.  About  thirty- 
five  years  ago,  a  Mr.  Nathan  Nichols,  who  resided  in 
Maryland,  on  the  west  side  of  Gunpowder  river,  succeed 
ed  completely  in  domesticating  these  ducks  ;  so  that  they 
bred  and  multiplied  with  him  in  great  numbers.  In  their 
wild  state  they  build  in  hollow  trees,  and  fly  directly  in, 
without  alighting  at  the  entrance. 

G 


£9  NOTES. 

Note  43— Page  5D. 
The  lake  Cayuga 

This  lake  is  about  thirty-eight  miles  long,  and  from 
two  to  three  and  four  miles  in  breadth.  It  is  nearly  par 
allel  with,  and  about  eight  or  ten  miles  east  from  the 
Seneca  lake.  The  bed  of  the  former  is  said  to  be  thirty 
or  forty  feet  lower  than  that  of  the  latter,  which  flows  in 
to  the  Cayuga  nearly  at  fts  outlet,  and  forms  what  is  u- 
sually  called  Seneca  River.  The  waters  cf  both  these 
lakes  are  extremely  clear  and  transparent;  are  much  fre 
quented  by  wild  ducks,  and  contain  abundance  of  various 
kinds  of  fish,  particularly  salmon,  and  also  suckers  of  a 
very  large  size.  One  of  these  last,  which  we  purchased 
from  a  party  of  Indians  encamped  on  the  shore,  measured 
upwards  cf  two  feet  in  length. 


Note  4-1 — Page  61. 
O'er  recks  and  narrows 

These  are  passes  on  the  high  steep  sides  of  the  moun 
tains  overhanging  the  Susquehanna,  and  in  some  places 
will  scarcely  admit  more  than  one  person  abreast 

Note  45— Page  63. 

Now  like  dull  stars  the  lighted  bridge  appears. 
This  bridge  extends  across  the  lake,  which  at  this  pl&cas 


Is  about  a  mile  in  width.  It  is  built  of  wood,  is  laid  on 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  trusties,  each  consisting  of  three 
posts,  connected  by  girths  and  braces.  The  posts  aro 
sunk  to  hard  gravel,  which  is  generally  about  thirty  feet 
from  the  surface.  The  expense  was  twenty  thousand 
dollars. 


Note  46— Page  63. 

Here  from  the  shore,  low  marshes  wide  expand, 
Where  bare  and  bleak  the  little  salt-works  stand. 

This  saline  is  about  eight,  miles  from  the  cutlet  of  tho 
lake.  The  wells  are  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  deep,  and 
tho  water  is  much  stronger  than  that  of  the  ocean.  The 
proprietor  informed  me  that  he  made  about  thirty-fivebush- 
els  daily. 


Note  47— Page  G5, 
The  skunk's  abhorred  effluvia  filled  the  room. 

The  reader  is  not  to  imagine  that  this  animal  formed 
part  of  our  trapper's  game.  It  is  never  seen  in  this  par 
ticular  part  of  the  country ;  and  the  trappers  take  advan 
tage  of  tlns'circumstance  to  circumvent  their  prey.  In 
the  lower  parts  of  the  state,  where  this  animal  is  abun 
dant,  there  are  people  who  collect  the  liquor  with  which 
Nature  has  supplied  it  for  its  defence.  This  is  put  into 
ntuali  Tials,  sealed,  placed  mouth  downwards  in  a  pot  of 


100  NOTES. 

oarth,  and  sold  to  the  trappers.  A  drop  or  two  of  this 
precious  aroma  is  put  on  or  near  the  steel-traps  after  they 
are  set,  and  the  strange  and  extraordinary  odor  is  said  to 
decoy  other  animals  to  the  spot.  Our  landlord  himself 
being  furnished  with  a  bottle  of  this  essence  of  skunk, 
and  his  traps  profusely  saturated  with  the  same,  produced 
the  effect  above  mentioned. 


Note  48— Page  67. 

Fort  Oswego. — This  post  was  finally  abandoned  on 
the  23th  of  October,  1804^  about  a  week  before  our  visit 
there. 


Note  40— Page  GO. 

Queenstown. — This  place  lies  on  the  Canada  side  of 
the  Niagara  river,  seven  miles  below  the  falls. 


Note  50 — Page  69. 
Saw  in  the  east  the  coming  tempest  lour,  &c. 

These  storms  are  very  frequent  on  this  lake ;  and  thf* 
want  of  sufficient  sea-room  is  also  dangerous.  A  few 
days  previous  to  our  arrival  at  Oswego,  a  British  packet 
called  the  Speedy,  with  the  judge  advocate  on  board,  the 
judges,  witnesses,  and  an  Indian  prisoner,  and  others,  to 
the  amount  of  twenty  or  thirty  persons,  foundered  in  a 


NOTES  1UJ 

violent  gale,  and  every  soul  perished.  No  part  of  the 
vessel  was  afterwards  found  except  the  pump,  which  we 
picked  up,  and  carried  to  Queeustown. 

Note  51— Page  71. 
There,  high  in  air,  the  fortress  full  in  view,  &c. 

Fort  Niagara,  originally  built  in  1725,  by  the  French, 
was  Sield  by  the  British  from  1759  to  17S6,  when  it  was 
delivered  up,  with  the  rest  of  the  western  posts,  to  the 
United  States.  It  lies  on  the  north  east  point  at  the  en 
trance  of  Niagara  river  into  lake  Ontario ;  and  is  a  strong 
and  very  important  post. 

Note  52— Page  71. 
There  o'er  their  fort,  the  British  ensign  flies. 

Fort  George,  built  and  occupied  by  the  British  since 
1794,  stands  about  a  mile  higher  up  the  river  than  the  A- 
merican  garrison,  on  ground  thirty  or  forty  feet  higher 
than  that  of  the  latter,  and  on  the  Canada  side.  Tha 
town  of  Newark  is  adjoining,  containing  about  two  hun- 
dred  houses. 

Note  53— Page  72. 

Now  full  in  front  the  Ridge  its  height  uprears. 
This  singular  ridge  commences  about  the  head  of  lako 


102  NOTES. 

Ontario,  and  running  in  an  easterly  direction,  loses  it 
self  in  the  country  towards  the  Seneca  lake.  The  plain, 
extending  from  its  base  northwardly  to  the  shores  of  tho 
lake,  and  is  between  two  and  three  hundred  feet  lower 
than  that  extending  frcm  its  tcp,  south,  to  lake  Erie. 


Note  64— Page  73. 

Though  five  slicrt  miles  ahead, 

All  <:ound  was  hushed  and  every  whisper  dead. 

This  will  appear  almost  incredible  to  those  who  haw 
heard  it  assorted  that  the  noise  of  the  cataract  is  frequent 
ly  heard  at  the  distance  cf  forty  miles.  Both  these  facts, 
however  are  actually  true,  and  depend  entirely  on  the 
state  of  the  atmosphere  and  current  cf  the  air. 

Nets  55— Page  74. 
Whence  hurrying1  clcuds  cf  bci ling  smoke  arose,  &c. 

This  train  cf  black  clcuds  extends  along  the  heavens 
in  the  direction  in  which  the  wind  blows,  as  far  as  the 
cfye  can  reach,  forming  a  very  striking  and  majestic  ap 
pearance. 

Note  56— Page  76. 

Till  the  tall  ladders  tottering  tcp  appeared. 
Tlus  ladder  was  pieced  in  "an  almost  perpendicular  po- 


NOTES.  1 03 

sition,  not  leaning  on  the  brink;  but  listened  to  a  project* 
ing  root,  in  such  a  manner  that,  on  descending,  the  steep 
was  on  our  right  hand,  and  a  tremendous  abyss,  cf  a  hun 
dred  and  fifty  feet  deep,  presented  itself  before  us. 

Ncto  57— Page  77. 

tremendous  recks  were  spread, 

That  from  our  f jet  hi  headlong  fury  fled. 

Thess  rocks,  being  worn  smooth  by  the  perpetual  ac 
tion  of  the  wrater,  and  lying  upon  a  steep  declivity,  com 
posed  of  loose  masses  of  smaller  ones,  were  displaced 
at  every  pressure  cf  the  feet,  so  that  masses  larger  thaa 
mill  stones  were  easily  lanchcddown  with  a  single  kick, 
rendering  it  highly  dangerous  fer  more  than  one  person 
to  pass  abreast. 

Note  53— Page  77. 
'midst  such  clamor  drowned. 

A  few  days  before  our  arrival  the  body  of  a  man  wtwi 
had  been  drowned  above  the  falls,  was  found  below  them* 
among  the  rocks.  Finding  it  impossible  from  the  stat* 
of  the  body,  and  I  may  add  the  ladder,  to  raise  it  to  tfko 
brink  of  the  precipice,  and  there  not  being  a  particle  of 
earth  in  the  gulf  to  cover  it,  the  people  were  at  a  loss  how 
to  dispose  of  it,  until  one  of  the  company  discovered  a 
hollow  gum  log,  into  which  the  body  was  thrust,  and  thd 
entrance  barricaded  with  large  stones. 

Note  53— -Page  77. 
Slow  Fort  Slusher's  down  was  seen  to  roam. 


104  NOTES. 


The  height  of  this  fall  is  said  to  be  154  feot.  The 
current  above  is  much  slower  than  in  another  part  of  the 
river  near  the  falls,  and  the  water  drops  here  almost  per 
pendicularly,  presenting  the  appearance  of  an  immense 
white  curtain  of  foam. 


Note  60— Page  78, 

and  at  the  Horse-shoe  ends. 


These  falls  are  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  lower  than  those 
of  Fort  SI  usher  on  the  American  side ;  and  the  main  body 
of  the  river  rushes  over  at  this  place  with  indescribable 
violence  and  uproar. 

Note  61— Page  78. 
One  last  grand  object 

The  Great  Fitch.  Of  the  general  appearance  of  this 
ttemendous  scene  I  find  it  altogether  impossible  for  mo 
to  give  any  adequate  conception. 

Note  62— Page  79. 

While  the  whole  monstrous  mass  and  country  round 
Shook  as  with  horror  at  th'  o'erwhelming  sound ! 

This  is  literally  true.  In  the  house  where  we  lodged, 
which  is  more  than  half  a  mile  from  the  falls,  the  vibra 
tions  of  a  fork,  stuck  in  a  board  partition,  were  plainly 
observable  across  the  room. 


